Carbondale building built in 1881 destroyed in fire

Firefighters extinguishing fire on the corner of Poplar and Route 13, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. The Fire Department has not yet released a statement. The house was built in 1881. (Isabel Miller | @IsabelMillerDE)

By Brandi Courtois, Managing Editor

(Editor’s note: The Daily Egyptian previously called the building ‘the oldest’ building in Carbondale. The information has been changed to state the year it was constructed.)

A rental property owned by Wright Properties at 409 W. Main Street in Carbondale caught on fire Tuesday morning.

The building was built in 1881 for Samuel W. Dunaway.

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Jimmy Stanton, the maintenance supervisor for Wright Properties, called the building a total loss.

“Someone left a pan on the stove,” Stanton said. “It’s terrible.”

He said the fire department told him the fire started on the first floor in Unit 8 and appeared to come from the kitchen.

“Everybody was out of the place before it got bad,” Stanton said.

The building was located to the right of the Carbondale Public Library and across the street from the Memorial Hospital of Carbondale.

Barricades were used to shut down part of West Main Street and parts of West Monroe Street.

The building had extensive damage to the exterior and the roof appeared to have collapsed because of the fire.

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Trucks from the Carbondale, Carterville, and Marion fire departments responded to the fire.

Jason Sheraden, a firefighter and paramedic for the Carterville Fire Department, said the department provided assistance but could not reveal any details because it was not in his jurisdiction.

Ameren was also present at the scene.

Managing editor Brandi Courtois can be reached at [email protected].

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