Published: September 09, 2008 01:02 pm            

Fire injures Effingham man

A rural Effingham man was taken to St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital, Effingham, with burns sustained when he tried to put out a fire in his buddy’s garage Monday morning.

Chief Kenny Schwerman of the Shumway Fire Protection District said firefighters were called to a garage owned by Phillip Miller of Miller Construction at 9:52 a.m. The garage is located at 10434 E. Fayette Road, about three miles west of Effingham.

Schwerman said firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke coming from the garage, which contained a nearly-new pickup truck, construction materials and various chemicals used in the building industry.

Shumway received mutual aid from Effingham and Altamont firefighters, while Beecher City, Watson and Stewardson covered Shumway’s station.

Miller said a friend was sharpening tools in the garage when sparks apparently ignited some nearby rags. The unidentified friend was taken to St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital for treatment of burns on his hands.

Miller said the garage incurred a lot of smoke damage. But firefighters got there in time to keep the chemicals from destroying the structure.

“There were all kinds of chemicals in there — anything to do with the construction business,” he said. “But the firefighters did a really good job. I’m proud of them.”

Firefighters were on the scene for about three hours.

Later Monday, Shumway firefighters responded to a brush fire on West Street in Shumway that started from an attempt to burn salvage from a summer structure fire. Firefighters arrived at 12:56 p.m. and were on the scene for about an hour.

Bill Grimes can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 131 or bill.grimes@effinghamdailynews.com.