Firefighters Respond to Explosive Blaze In Godfrey On Monday Night, April 6, 2026

GODFREY - Godfrey Fire Protection District Chief Eric Cranmer said a serious fire in the 300 block of Meadowlark Drive in Godfrey was destructive to one home and caused significant damage to an adjacent home after crews were dispatched to reports of explosions and flames visible from the street.

The fire was reported at 10:03 p.m. on Monday, April 6, 2026, prompting an automatic box alarm for a structure fire with explosions and a report that two people might still be inside, Chief Cranmer said.

“When we got there, one of the homes was fully engulfed,” Cranmer said.

Chief Cranmer said a second alarm was called as the fire spread, and another house to the west “started to become well involved.” He said crews knocked down the fire in both homes about 20 minutes.

The state fire marshal was called to investigate. “The area of fire origin seemed to be in the garage area," Cranmer said. "The state fire marshal is investigating."

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Cranmer said, thankfully, no one was left inside by the time the firefighters started battling both blazes. He described residents being awakened by an explosion that happened in the garage. The firefighters performed a series of checks to ensure no one else was in the home and that everyone was out safely.

“A woman and one of her sons were asleep when whatever blew in the garage woke them up, and they were able to get out,” he said.

Cranmer said multiple departments responded, including Godfrey with Alton and Fosterburg on the initial automatic box alarm, along with East Alton and Brighton at the scene and Bethalto at the Godfrey station on the second alarm.

Cranmer said one nearby home sustained major damage, including “burned out windows,” and that the “gas meter was melted.” He said Ameren removed the gas meter and that crews also faced hazards from live electrical lines.

“We had live wires in back, and had to wait for Ameren to isolate the wires to do a whole lot of work in back,” Cranmer said.

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