two rescued from apartment building fire in Effingham; a third person jumps from the second floor; Two were taken to hospital due to smoke inhalation.

Oct. 28—Effingham firefighters rescued two people from a second-floor apartment and another person jumped from the second floor during a fire Sunday that destroyed eight apartments and displaced 22 people, officials said.

The two rescued passengers were transported to St. Anthony Memorial Hospital by Rural Med EMS for treatment of smoke inhalation, according to Effingham Fire Chief Brant Yochum. They were released on Sunday. The person who jumped was not injured and did not require medical attention, the chief said.

The Effingham Fire Department responded just after 4 p.m. to a report of a kitchen fire at 1618 Hillside Drive, Apartment E5. Upon arrival, crews noticed visible flames outside the structure and firefighters immediately began an exterior attack, the release said.

“There were reports of people trapped inside,” the report said. “Effingham Fire Department personnel successfully rescued two people from a second floor apartment across from the affected unit, while a third person jumped from a second floor window.”

Firefighters AJ Tackett, Ken Hayes and Lt. John Kronewitter entered the building to save the residents.

The fire was brought under control in about 45 minutes. Crews remained on scene until 7:30 p.m. to conduct major repairs and investigate. They returned around 5am on Monday when the fire reignited and remained on site until 7am.

The Red Cross is providing assistance to displaced people, the leader said.

Seth Lanham, 24, has lived in the building for two years. At Nimerga’s work, when the fire started, he rushed to the scene after a call from a friend.

“That first apartment was completely flooded,” said Lanham, whose apartment suffered extensive water damage. “I could only see smoke in the back half of the building. It was crazy. It was a mess. It was crazy. Suddenly”.

His cat Sammy and dog Skeeter escaped.

His roommate, 18-year-old Ethin Webb, was out of town but rushed home when a friend texted him about the fire.

“The animals got out okay,” Webb said.

On Monday morning, the roommates came to the complex to salvage what they could. They have renter’s insurance.

“We’re trying to get everything we can,” Webb said. “We lost a lot of clothes. Most of the furniture has already been destroyed.”

The cause of the fire is being investigated by the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Effingham Fire Department. Estimated damage is about $750,000.

“We tend to have a fire in the kitchen—accidentally,” Yochum said.

The chief noted that the response was a collaborative effort involving multiple agencies, including Effingham City Dispatch, the Effingham Police Department, Rural Med EMS and the Teutopolis, Shumway, Watson, Altamont, Dietrich and Montrose fire departments. The building at 1618 and 1620 Hillside Drive had a total of eight apartments housing 22 people. All 22 residents of the affected structure were displaced.

Effingham Daily News Editor Jeff Long can be reached at [email protected] or 217-347-7156.