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50 families flee as fire destroys Kutter firmBy L. ALLEN KLOPE Telegraph Staff WriterFire destroyed the Kutter Brothers Lumber Co. in Cottage Hills early today, and severely damaged a nearby home, and more than 50 families were evacuated from their homes at the height of the inferno.Firemen from six departments sped to the fire shortly after 5:30 a.m. when a passerby spotted flames shooting from the front portion of the roof.Police from six different agencies blocked off Rte. 140 at Rte. 111 on the east and Center street on the west, because of the intense heat, black smoke and hose strung across the highway in a three-block section.Madison County Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Earnhart discovered the fire at 5:33 a.m. today.Earnhart, who was on patrol, said only 20 minutes earlier he had passed Kutter Brothers. The building was secure but passing it later he observed flickering flames behind a neon sign in the front center of the building on Rte. 140.Earnhart said by the time the first fire units arrived from Cottage Hills and Bethalto departments, the front of the building was already in flames.Bethalto Police Sgt. Dale Favre said he passed the building at 5 a.m., and saw’ nothing wrong, but 30 minutes later he saw flames from the roof.The blaze centered at the front portion of the two-story main building, near an electric sign.“The flames spread to the north of the main building as firemen began to arrive,” Sgt. Favre said.In less than two hours, the main building was destroyed, and several adjacent buildings were engulfed in flames.Five of Kutter’s corrugated metal buildings were saved as well as two frame garage structures.The smoke was so heavy, owner A1 Kutter said he was not sure if firemen saved a metal bulding at the back (north of the lot, where trucks were stored.Kutter said he feels most of his vehicles were destroyed, and a home he owns at the south-west corner of the main building, was heavily damaged During the blaze, Gladys Watsker, a sister who operated a grocery store in the lumber yard complex, became ill, and was rushed to Alton Memorial Hospital, where she was treated and released Kutter, w ith employees, sat at a table at the Sunray Cafe, located just across the‘The fire was set,’ says Kutter“The fire was set by someone,” A1 Kutter said this morning as more than 100 firemen attempted to save the Kutter Brothers Lumber Yard.“I hope we can identify him, because this is a terrible thing. said Kutter, as he sipped coffee at the Sunray Cafe across the street from where firemenwerebattl-ing the blaze.Surrounded by friends and employees, Kutter said a nearby resident told him he heard glass break, and when he looked out his window, he saw flames shooting out of the front of the large lumber yard Besides the lumber business, the former Watsker Grocery, occupied by Suburban Sheet Metal Co., and a home were destroyed by the fire I paid off my brother's estate and became sole owner of the business January 2. 28 years to the day after we opened there, Kutter said.street from the lumber yard.Sunray employees supplied coffee to firemen, who were hampered fighting the fire because of the strong winds spreadingthe flames and blowing rain in their faces.Jan Griffin, a waitress at the Sunray. said about 5:30 a.m. a man ran in to say he had seen the fire, and for her to caiifiremen.When I telephoned. I was told someone already had called it in and firemen were on the wav,” Mrs. Griffin said.Kutter said he has no idea of the damage to his buildings or materials. He recently took delivery of a large amount of building materials.“I don’t think I will rebuild.” Kutter said, “because I’ve been in business 32 years, and have gone through two other fires at other locations ... at this point I 'm not real sure what I ’ll do.It’s not the end of the world, but I’ll have to survey the damage before I make any firm decisions, and will have to talk with my insurance company about fire,” Kutter said He said the building couldn’t be saved because of the intensity of the fire. He said he appreciated the efforts of all who responded Firemen from Cottage Hills. Rosewood Heights. Alton, Bethalto, East Alton and Wood River responded, as did police from Bethalto, Wood River, East Alton, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and Illinois State Police.Medco and Davey Ambulance services also stood by at the sceneFire threatens firm's neighborsFlames light the sky in the pre-dawn as fire destroys the Kutter Brothers lumber Co. building in Cottage Hills. Fifty families in homes near the firm on Route 140 wereevacuated as the danger to surrounding buildings became more acute. (Photo by Telegraph photographer Rick Stankoven.
Newspaper Details
Alton Telegraph
Alton, Illinois, US
Fri, Mar 24, 1978
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Hayner P.
IL, USA 27 Sep 2023
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