Alton Fire Department extinguishes apartment blaze quickly, family displaced before holidays

ALTON – Thanksgiving and Christmas are rapidly approaching, but April Williams and her three children received a difficult blow Monday morning when their apartment in the 3300 block of Myrle in Alton caught fire.

Thankfully, the Alton Fire Department responded quickly and saved the structure, extinguishing the fire in 10 minutes.

Alton Fire Chief Bernie Sebold said the fire department determined it was an electrical-related fire. He said a vacuum cleaner was plugged in and caught fire, then then the bed was ignited from that, causing the blaze.

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Sebold said a mutual aid alarm was issued and East Alton Fire Department responded.

“Our guys responded quickly and fortunately kept it to a one-bedroom fire,” Sebold said. “We confirmed all the apartments were empty of occupants when we arrived. The building is repairable, but it will displace a mother and three children. The Red Cross has been notified.”

Williams said she had been having electrical problems with the apartment.

“My little girl’s room was damaged pretty seriously by the fire,” she said. “The Red Cross has contacted me, so I hope they can help. My kids are in school today.”

Williams requested one thing from others reading her story: “We ask that people keep us in your prayers.”

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