A rural Walnut Hill home is expected to be a total loss following a Sunday morning fire.
Russell Santel of 3504 Phelps Road returned home to find smoke and fire visible inside the home.
Kell Fire Lieutenant Scott Carpenter was the first to arrive on the scene to find heavy smoke with fire showing at the front of the home.
Kell Fire Chief Mick McDaneld advised dispatch of the working fire and called for mutual aid assistance.
The construction of the home allowed firefighters to do extensive interior firefighting because of the wood being mostly rough-cut oak, which made it stronger and therefore stand longer compared to newer construction techniques. The home is still standing, and several items were saved from inside. However, the residence is expected to be a total loss.
McDaneld says the fire appears to have started in the kitchen. The State Fire Marshal’s office will investigate the cause of the fire on Monday.
The Red Cross was called to aid the family.
Mutual aid on the scene was received from Salem, Centralia Fire Protection District, Iuka, Mt. Vernon, Jefferson Fire, Odin and Kinmundy-Alma. Sandoval Firemen responded with a mobile compressor unit to fill SCBA bottles. Having enough water on the scene was never a problem with several trucks able to shuttle water to the scene.
McDaneld says they went through a lot of manpower, rotating several interior crews in and out so they had enough help to keep guys rotated and fresh.
City of Centralia and Webber Fire Protection District covered the Kell station in the event of another call.
Firefighters were on the scene until just after one pm.
