Arson is the suspected cause of an early morning house fire that occurred in the 300 block of South Elm Street on Saturday, according to a news release from the Kewanee Fire Department.
The fire department arrived on the scene at 4:41 a.m. to find the one and a half story home fully engulfed in flames. Upon arrival, crews were unsure if any residents were in the building. The resident was later confirmed not to be at home. One cat and one dog inside the home were able to make it out safely, the KFD reported, but one dog died in the fire, and another dog hasn’t been located.
Fire crews remained on the scene for four hours. The structure was deemed a total loss.
Kewanee Fire Department investigators, in conjunction with the Illinois Office of the State Fire Marshall and Kewanee Police Department, are conducting a thorough investigation of the blaze.
The Kewanee Fire Department was assisted by the Kewanee Police Department, the Kewanee Community Fire Protection District, Annawan/Alba Fire Protection District and the Stark County Ambulance Service.
