Fire marshal investigates vacant house fire near Belleville
A vacant home near Belleville was destroyed by a fire Saturday morning but no injuries were reported.
Flames had engulfed the home by the time firefighters arrived.
The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Illinois State Fire Marshal, according to Michael Kempf, assistant fire chief of the Villa Hills Fire Department.
The National Weather Service reported that thunderstorms rolled through St. Clair County on Saturday morning before firefighters were called to the fire at 8:30 a.m. but it is not yet known if the fire was storm-related.
The fire occurred in the Villa Hills district but four other departments assisted in fighting the fire: Northwest, Camp Jackson, Millstadt and Smithton. Also, Swansea and Signal Hill firefighters were on standby for Villa Hills and Northwest.
