BELLEVILLE, Ill — Thirteen people – including children – escaped a house fire in St. Clair County Tuesday morning.
At around 6:46 a.m., the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department received a call for a fire at a home along State Route 163 in rural Belleville. The Millstadt Fire District and Cahokia Heights Fire Department worked together to put out the flames.
According to police, 10 adults and three children were in the house at the time of the fire but were able to escape unharmed. The house, though, is a total loss.
A 5 On Your Side photojournalist captured the aftermath of the fire. The images show firefighters continuing to battle the blaze as heavy smoke pours into the air.
The flames have been extinguished, but the Millstadt Fire Chief told 5OYS when he arrived at the scene this morning he immediately called the State Fire Marshall because he thought the fire was suspicious.
There were 13 people in the home at the time and they say they're just happy they made it out alive.
"They had to be blessed,” said Billy Dixon. “Somebody was watching over them."
"I've lost everything I had,” said Shannon Rackhaus. “My kids have grown up in this house."
As she sorted through the rubble of her home Shannon Rackhaus was understandably distraught.
"You can't describe it,” said Rackhaus. “There's nothing you can say other than I've lost 20 years of something that I should've never lost."
Rackhaus lost 3 dogs and a cat in the fire.
"My nephew was sitting on the porch and all he heard was a big boom,” said Rackhaus.
Though she was asleep when the fire started, she suspects it may have been arson.
"Between 4:30 and 5 a.m. this morning there was a white car driving around my house,” said Rackhaus. “There was like a firebomb thrown at the truck and we couldn't put it out in time."
Firefighters had similar problems since there are no hydrants in the area.
"This is as bad as it gets,” said Dixon.
It took five tankers full of water to get the fire under control, and Rackhaus could do is watch as her home turned into a total loss.
"I've lost everything,” said Rackhaus. “I don't know how I'm ever going to get it back."
Police said the state fire marshal was called in to help investigate the cause of the fire. Officials believe it may have started with a car parked next to the house, but they haven’t released an official cause.
The Red Cross has been in contact with the family and is helping them get set up with a place that they can stay for a few days.
At this time the cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Illinois State Fire Marshall.