Jefferson Fire officials say the cause of a fire at a rural Mt. Vernon home early Saturday afternoon remains undetermined.
The blaze is believed to have started in a vehicle or attached garage before spreading to part of the residence. Firefighters say the homeowner had left the property shortly before a neighbor reported seeing smoke.
When crews arrived, flames had begun spreading through the attic into the home. Several rooms were affected, and the house sustained extensive heat and smoke damage.
Firefighters rescued a dog from the burning home and administered oxygen. The animal is expected to make a full recovery.
The Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office will investigate to determine the cause of the fire.
Jefferson Fire received mutual aid from Mt. Vernon city firefighters, as well as departments from Kell, Waltonville, Bluford, and Benton. The Centralia Fire Protection District and McLeansboro Fire Department stood by at the Jefferson Fire Station in case of another call.
The alarm came in around noon, with firefighters remaining on the scene for about two hours.