House Torn Down After Devastating Fire on Alby, Mayor Says It Is Good Location To Rebuild

ALTON - On Thursday, Stutz Excavating removed a house that had been destroyed by an early morning Dec. 2, 2020, fire in the 2000 block of Alby Street in Alton.

An 85-year-old man had lived alone in the Alton home and died in that fire. When Alton Fire Department arrived on that day, there was “significant fire” coming out of the front and side of the house,” Alton Fire Chief Jesse Jemison said.

Alton Mayor Brant Walker said it was a good decision to remove the burned up house.

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“It is a good location,” he said. “Depending on where it is with county taxes and if it is estate-free, it would be an attractive location to rebuild. People had been going into the burned house and it made it an unsafe situation. I am glad to see this done.”

Walker stressed with these types of homes, it is best for neighbors in regard to home values and the danger involved to get them removed as soon as possible.

“It causes vagrancy and it becomes a dangerous problem,” he said if these type of homes aren’t removed. “It also hurts people’s perception of the city, but now someone can rebuild in that site.”

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