MADISON COUNTY, Ill. — An 81-year-old woman died when a fire started inside her home near Granite City, Illinois late Wednesday night.
Firefighters from the Mitchell Fire Department responded at about 11:30 p.m. to a home in the 3100 block of West Chain of Rocks Road in Madison County, Illinois. The fire chief said they arrived to find thick smoke and big flames coming out of the trailer home.
One neighbor said he woke up to huge, orange flames right outside his window.
“I was laying in bed and I heard someone screaming, ‘Don’t go in there, it’s dangerous!’ When I heard that word dangerous, I jumped up and when I did I saw my window was orange. As soon as I opened it and stuck my head out, the entire porch was engulfed in flames,” Larry Burgan recalled.
The flames were so intense the siding on a neighboring home started to melt.
Mitchell Fire Chief Joe Lee said with the help of Long Lake and Granite City fire departments they were able to quickly knock down the fire.
Fire crews then searched the home and found a woman inside. Anna Rookard was pronounced dead at the scene. A preliminary autopsy found she suffered from smoke inhalation. A final cause and manner of death will be determined after further testing is finished.
Neighbors also told 5 On Your Side several animals lived in the home with the woman. Fire officials weren’t able to confirm how many were inside the house at the time of the fire.
At least two pets died. One dog, a 13-year-old named Princess, survived. Neighbors were seen cradling the dog in a blanket near the scene Thursday morning.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office is handling the ongoing investigation.
This is a developing story that will be updated as more information is confirmed.