Extreme cold spurs rash of fires at homes, businesses

Dangerous winter weather over the holiday weekend resulted in a number of fires at homes and businesses throughout the region.

A house fire in Benton destroyed a home on Friday night. No other details were released.


A motel on North Main Street in Hopkinsville was damaged in a fire on Christmas Day.

Firefighters were called to the American Inn for smoke inside the structure and found a fire in the attic of a vacant room.

Everyone was able to get out of the structure uninjured.


A home in Todd County was severely damaged in a fire Saturday night.

The fire is believed to have started in the kitchen and caused severe damage to the home on Greenville Road.

No one was home at the time of the fire and the cause was unknown.


A three-alarm fire in southern Illinois leaves a county without road equipment as more winter weather is in the forecast.

Sparta Fire department responded to the Randolph highway maintenance facility Saturday morning.

Fire was raging inside the building when crews arrived and engulfed the entire structure.

The fire also destroyed several road-treating trucks and snow plows.


Other southern Illinois fires were reported this weekend at homes in Johnston City and West Frankfort, and at the White Rabbit Antique Store in Pinckneyville.