Centralia City Firemen say a fire that started around the electrical box of the William Spencer home on Bel Air Drive in Centralia just before noon on Saturday may have been related to the Friday morning severe weather.
It was the second fire put out by firemen that appeared to have ties to the storm and electrical system damage. The first was at a home at 335 Janet Drive on Friday morning.
Centralia City Firefighters say the occupants smelled a slight odor of smoke on Friday night, but smoke started rolling shortly after Ameren had restored power to the home on Saturday morning.
Firemen say after removing the soffit above the meter, smoke was found and a hole was cut in the siding to reach the fire. Overheated electrical wiring that caught building materials in the wall on fire is blamed for starting the fire. Firemen say it was fortunate the fire was caught before it advanced up the wall to the attic where it would have caused considerable damage.
An Ameren IP repair crew still working on Bel Air had the power disconnected before firefighters arrived. Damage to the home is estimated at $5,000 to 7,000.
On Friday morning, firemen were called to the home on Janet Drive where damage to a power line had pulled the power head away from the home causing sparking and arcing that caught some insulation and a few of the boards used in the construction of the home to catch fire. Part of the wall had to be removed to put out the fire once an Ameren crew arrived to turn off the power. The fire call came in at 8:48 Friday morning.
Interim Chief Jeff Day and Lieutenant Hyde checking over the fire area at the home on Bel Air Drive. Photo by Tim Ferguson.
Centralia City Firemen oversaw by Fire Chief Jeff Day work to put out a fire on Janet Drive Friday morning. Photo by Tim Ferguson.
The damaged area around fuse box of Janet Drive home. Photo by Tim Ferguson.
