A Sunnyland man and his dog are safe after a house fire Thursday afternoon.
Firefighters with the Northern Tazewell Fire Department responded to the scene about 1:30 p.m. at 214 Esser St., where the front half of the small house was engulfed in flames, said Northern Tazewell Department Fire Chief Ray Kiddy.
With the assistance of the East Peoria Fire Department and the Morton Fire Department, the fire was extinguished in about 15 minutes, Kiddy said.
The dog was missing for about an hour.
“The dog just ran out about five minutes ago,” Kiddy said, about an hour after the fire started. “I’m really not sure how he survived. He must have found a good hiding place.”
Kiddy said the home’s occupant, Christopher Smith, started a fire in the fireplace, exited the room and returned to a living room full of flames.
“Right now, it’s looking like (the fire) started around the fireplace,” Kiddy said.
Smith exited the house immediately with his cats, Kiddy said.
Although there was no damage estimate, Kiddy said it appeared the house was a total loss.
An AmerenCILCO pole also collapsed near the house.
