Around 10 p.m. on Jan. 11 numerous area fire departments were called to Fayetteville for a large structure fire at the Deli Star meat plant.
Listed as departments providing mutual aid to the Fayetteville Fire Department were: Freeburg, St. Libory, New Athens, Hecker, Mascoutah, Smithton, Lebanon, Marissa, O’Fallon, Tilden, Red Bud, Swansea and Sparta (providing station coverage for Marissa).
Firemen were reportedly on scene for five to six hours fighting the blaze, and the building was deemed a total loss. It was also noted that in fighting the fire, almost all of the water in the community’s water towers was used, thus creating a temporary boil order.
For more on this fire call, please see this week’s print edition.