Two homes and a vehicle were damaged in a fire Monday evening that brought firefighters from Collinsville and Whitesboro to the 400 block of Hackney Street.
The Collinsville Fire Department was called to the area at 5:19 p.m. Oct. 19 after receiving a report of a house fire on nearby Pearce Street.
When firefighters arrived, they found two homes at 419 and 421 Hackney Street burning, along with a vehicle parked beneath a carport at 421 Hackney.
Collinsville firefighters began battling the blaze at 421 Hackney while crews from the Whitesboro Fire Department worked to contain the fire at the neighboring home.
Firefighters faced several challenges, including a live electrical line that had fallen across a fence separating the properties and a damaged natural gas meter that was feeding the flames at 419 Hackney.
Crews used a protective stream of water to shield a firefighter who approached the burning gas meter and shut off the supply, allowing firefighters to extinguish the flames.
Firefighters were also told that a dog and cat might be trapped inside the home at 419 Hackney. The dog was rescued and treated for smoke inhalation. The cat’s condition was not reported.
Once the main fires were brought under control, firefighters temporarily stopped work until the electric company could disconnect power to the damaged homes.
Crews then returned to the properties to recover personal belongings and protect items that could be salvaged.
Firefighters remained at the scene until approximately 8:30 p.m.
Collinsville Fire Chief Damon Stewart credited neighboring departments for helping contain the fire and protect nearby properties.
“The Collinsville Fire Department would like to thank our mutual aid partners for their rapid response, professionalism and commitment throughout this incident,” Stewart said. “Their assistance was instrumental in bringing this fire under control while protecting surrounding properties and the community.”
Neighbors initially reported hearing a vehicle explosion at one of the properties, but authorities have not determined whether the reported explosion occurred before or after the homes caught fire.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
