Firefighters respond to a partially collapsed structure on fire in Benton on Saturday. The Benton Fire Department responded to a house fire at 12:43 p.m. on April 19, at 206 E. Smith Street. Multiple units responded to the fire from Benton and surrounding areas after firefighters found the two-story wood frame home with heavy fire and smoke. The Benton Fire Department said the home was vacant and the structure was unsafe due to a previous partial collapse.
Firefighters attacked the fire from a defensive standpoint and also protected a home to the east of the structure fire. Fire officials allowed the structure to gradually burn to the ground out of safety concerns for neighborhood adults and children. The fire is under investigation and the cause of the fire is undetermined at this time.
Assisting the Benton Fire Department was the West Frankfort Fire Department, West City Fire Department, Ewing Northern Fire Protection District, Sesser Fire Protection District, Zeigler Fire Department, Jefferson Fire Protection District, Buckner Fire Department, Coello Fire Department, AMR Ambulance, Benton Police Department and the Benton Water Department.
