Spectacular fire lights up sky in downtown O’Fallon

80 years ago

Aug. 2, 1936

A spectacular fire lit up downtown O’Fallon with flames that could be seen as far away as Belleville.

The blaze started just before 2:20 a.m in a large two-story barn owned by the August Behrns family in the rear of West Washington, halfway between Cherry Street and Lincoln Avenue.

Though the fire department got there quickly, the fire soon engulfed the barn with flames shooting high in the air.

It spread to nearby sheds and leapt across the alley to the south.

William Behrns was sleeping in a bedroom in part of the barn and narrowly escaped with minor neck burns. He lost everything except a pair of overalls he grabbed on the way out.

The prompt response by the fire department contained the blaze that threatened to take out an entire block of businesses and houses.

Only one firefighter, Wendel Scheibel, was injured when he got entangled in a hose being unreeled as the firetruck sped to a fire hydrant.

75 years ago

Aug. 7, 1941

O’Fallon citizens with goldfish pools in their yards may do well to be on guard if they value the finny possessions.

Richard Titter, 501 North Oak Street, was the first victim of the goldfish thief and he has incriminating evidence that the 20 fish were taken by a human being and not an animal as indicated by footprints around the pool and a dropped briar pipe.

50 years ago

Aug. 4, 1966

Mrs. John F. Anderson, 215 E. Third Street, was hospitalized last week when she was bitten on the right leg by what was believed to be a 5  1/2 foot poisonous water moccasin in the back yard of her home Thursday morning. She killed the snake with a broom and was taken to St. Elizabeth’s hospital in a Schildknecht ambulance. She was given serum and her leg was packed in ice. She returned home the next day.

This story was originally published August 3, 2016 at 10:10 AM with the headline "Spectacular fire lights up sky in downtown O’Fallon."