One neighborhood, five fires: Rantoul Fire Department investigates possible connection
RANTOUL, Ill. (WCIA) — Officials are investigating after a fire broke out in the same Rantoul neighborhood where four other trailer fires happened earlier this year.
On Feb. 8, the trailer at 13 Mahoning Dr. was completely destroyed after catching fire, killing two cats and leaving the owner displaced. The trailer next door, 14 Mahoning Dr., was also damaged enough that the person living there was displaced.
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Just a few weeks later on Feb. 26, another fire broke out at 14 Mahoning Dr. Since there was still no one living there at the time, no one was hurt and the trailer wasn’t connected to utilities. Firefighters fought the flames for two-and-a-half hours.
The next morning, another fire broke out in the same trailer, causing firefighters to battle those flames for another hour and 40 minutes.
On March 19, the fourth fire happened, this time at 12 Mahoning Dr. The call was closed just 35 minutes after it was received. At this time, the Rantoul Fire Department told WCIA that they, along with the Illinois State Fire Marshal, were investigating a possible connection between all four fires, but they had not yet determined whether any of them were connected.
Now, more than six months after the first fire, officials are adding a fifth to the investigation.
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On Thursday, Aug. 13 at 6:30 p.m., firefighters were dispatched to 17 Mahoning Dr. where they found a vacant home ablaze.
Rantoul Fire Chief Chad Smith told WCIA the fire spread to about 30% of the home. Since the home was vacant, no one was hurt. No utilities were hooked up in the home, either. Rantoul firefighters worked with the Gifford and Thomasboro Fire Departments, as well as Rantoul Police and AMT.
Smith said the fire was cleared by around 10 p.m., and the Rantoul Fire Department and State Fire Marshal are continuing to investigate how it happened, as well as whether it is possibly related to the neighborhood’s fires earlier this year.
There is no further information available at this time.
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