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Firefighters fight late night house fire Wednesday

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Gillespie and Benld firefighters fight a late night fire in the 600 block of Adams in Gillespie.

Gillespie and Benld firefighters fight a late night fire in the 600 block of Adams in Gillespie.

The Gillespie Fire Department extinguished a house fire Wednesday evening in the 600 block of Adams with the help of Benld Fire Department. The fire was called into the 911 dispatcher by a neighbor who reported hearing an explosion, then quickly saw flames at the residence. The call to the fire department went out at 11:15pm, according to Larry Norville, and the first engine left the fire house at 11:17pm arriving on scene at 11:18pm.

Neighbors on scene reported hearing the explosion, but were unsure where the sound came from. One neighbor explained it sounded like a vehicle struck a power pole, but after looking outside he noticed the explosion came from the residence. Firefighters on Wednesday evening were unsure what the explosion was.

The residence is owned by Mick and Barbara (Komnick) Harrison who just completed a renovation at the residence. A building permit was still hanging inside the window Wednesday evening. According to Norville, the Harrisons and their pets made it out of the home safely. No injuries were reported.

When firefighters arrived, flames were erupting from the back of the house. Firefighters were able to contain and extinguish the fire quickly though smoke and water damage was evident throughout the house. Firefighters stayed on-scene until 2:45am Thursday.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The fire marshall was on-scene early Thursday morning and insurance investigators were supposed to come Thursday afternoon. “The initial report said a neighbor heard an explosion and then saw a fire,” Norville said, “That’s what we are working on; whether or not there was an explosion or not.”

Larry Norville explained it could be a few days before the owners would occupy the residence.

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Thunderstorms, winds, snow, freezing rain coming to BenGil area

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Another major winter storm is forecasted to blanket the BenGil area in heavy rains, flooding and snowfall starting Wednesday night through Thursday.

The mixture of precipitation and rapidly changing weather likely will produce the potential for sudden icing on roads, with high winds leading to blowing snow and reduced visibility.

“The Illinois Department of Transportation’s snow-and-ice teams will be prepared and out in force, but the public needs to be ready for conditions to change quickly and worsen if they are out on the roads,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “As always during periods of extreme weather, the safest option is to postpone any unnecessary trips and stay home. If you must travel, prepare for very slow and potentially hazardous conditions. And please slow down around our plows and other emergency vehicles, giving them plenty of room to do their jobs.”

The National Weather Service is predicting a wintry mix of precipitation to start with thunderstorms and heavy rain in much of the state this evening, converting to freezing rain overnight before turning to snow Thursday morning. In addition to localized flooding, ice and sleet accumulations are likely, creating extremely slippery surfaces and slick conditions.

Due to the rainy conditions ahead of temperatures falling overnight, the effectiveness of pretreating and salting surfaces in advance of significant snowfall will be limited. The public should anticipate icy conditions even when roads appear clear and greatly reduce speeds. 

“As the Illinois State Police plans to take on the unpredictable Illinois weather, we would like to remind motorists to do their part in keeping the roads a safe place,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly.  “ISP, alongside IDOT and other agencies, will be working in hazardous weather conditions. Please remember to slow down, stay vigilant and move over for ANY vehicle on the side of the road.”

Statewide, IDOT has available more than 1,800 trucks and equipment to plow, treat roads and respond to weather emergencies. If you encounter a plow or any maintenance vehicle during your travels, please slow down, increase your following distance and remain patient. Do not attempt to pass – conditions in front of the plow will be worse than behind it.

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Police investigating death of Bunker Hill woman

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Police are investigating the death of a Bunker Hill woman who was found dead at the end of her driveway near the roadway on Monday morning, January 31.

Nancy Blycker, 91, had multiple injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. The Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call to the 2900 block of Wood Hill Lane around 7:40 a.m. on Monday.

The initial suspicion was homicide, according to a release by the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis who said approximately 20 investigators were working the investigation, but the autopsy contradicted that suspicion.

The Major Case Squad said on Tuesday it is “highly unlikely” Blycker’s death was the “result of homicidal means.”

The Major Case Squad turned the case back over to the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department. The official cause of death is pending further lab analysis.

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Winter storm warning issued for BenGil area

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The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the BenGil area, southwestern Illinois, and the St. Louis area.

The warning was issued early Tuesday taking effect at midnight tonight until noon on Thursday, February 3 calling for a “wet, heavy” snow. The forecast also calls for ice prompting a warning about possible power outages.

“All indications continue to point to a disruptive, impactful, and dangerous winter storm impacting the region starting late tonight and lasting through Thursday night,” the National Weather Service said in its Area Forecast Discussion.

The BenGil area is expected to receive heavy mixed precipitation including snow accumulations between 6 and 10 inches, sleet accumulations around three-quarters of an inch, and ice accumulations around two-tenths of an inch. Wind gusts will be as high as 35 mph on Thursday.

The storm is expected to start with rain most of the day today before transitioning into a mixture of freezing rain and/or sleet Tuesday night, then all snow Wednesday morning or as late as Wednesday afternoon continuing until about noon on Thursday.

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