A fire that began smoldering in the attic insulation of a rural Mt. Vernon residence was quickly contained to the attic late Sunday night.
According to Jefferson Fire officials, the homeowner discovered the issue after going to the attic to retrieve some belongings and noticing the smell of smoke. Firefighters responded and located the source of the fire in the blown-in insulation. They removed the affected insulation and a portion of the ceiling to ensure all burning material was extinguished.
The homeowner, whose name has not been released, had already evacuated the house before firefighters arrived.
While the fire was limited to the attic, minor smoke damage occurred in other parts of the house.
The fire was reported at 10:30 p.m. Sunday, and firefighters remained on scene for approximately two hours. Mutual aid was provided by Mt. Vernon City, Kell, and Centralia Fire Protection Districts, while Bluford and Waltonville crews stood by at the Jefferson Fire station in case additional assistance was needed.