Fire damaged a home east of Mt. Vernon Thursday afternoon.
The fire was at the Robert and Lizabeth Thomas home at 16,765 Illinois Route 15 east of the Outland Airport.
Jefferson Fire Protection District officials say the Thomas’ had been smoking earlier on the back porch. After going back inside, they heard a pop. They discovered the five gallon bucket of cigarette butts was on fire. Since the bucket was next to a wall of the home, it spread up the wall into the eves.
Fire officials say Robert Thomas had knocked most of the fire down with a garden hose and they used the hose to extinguish the remaining fire that had moved into the attic.
Firemen then had to remove part of the kitchen ceiling and pull down the smoldering insulation. They later helped remove smoke from the home.
Damage from the fire is estimated at about $20,000.
Firemen were on the scene for about an hour starting at 1:30 Thursday afternoon.
