Chady Acres Fire destroys houses; Community offers support

The community gathers behind the families that were distributed after a fire on Friday, and destroyed seven houses in Shady Acres, a neighborhood on the outskirts of Meredosia.

Winds that preceded the storms on Friday afternoon spread the fire and let it jump into several buildings before firefighters could contain the fire.

Now the Meredosia Community Center in 913 Illinois Route 104 is filled with bags and tables full of clothes, bed linen, toys and other objects for those who have lost their houses to try to replace some of those lost.

Jess Brown from Mane St. Salon collected objects donated in her shop in Main Street, while other objects in Village Hall and in the community center have dropped.

Groups on social media have also collected objects, whereby volunteers offer to travel to the nearby communities to collect donated objects.

Those who are affected by the fire can go through the donations to take what they need for their families.

Dora McKinney was given a lot of support for those affected by the fire.

“It's absolutely wonderful,” said McKinney, a shady Acres resident who reported the fire. “The people of Meredosia really drove themselves to help those affected. There are some absolutely wonderful people.”

McKinney was sitting in her living room when she discovered the fire in a free house opposite her, she said.

“I looked and looked at the fire and just came straight into the Hatfield Road towards my house,” said McKinney.

Although their property was spared, seven more properties were damaged in the fire.

“There are so many families affected, animals that have not made it,” said McKinney. “Some were outbuildings, but there were camper and supporters where people lived.”

The call for the fire came on Friday at 3:53 p.m., and strong winds that preceded the storms on Friday evening quickly spread out the fire, said fire chief Ethan Myers.

“It was completely devoured when I got there,” said Myers. “There were five to seven structures, but it is difficult to say what is left.”

When firefighters fought the fire for several hours, wind blew from the fire on nearby houses and trees and into the neighboring Meredosia National Wildlife Refuge.

The crews fought against the fire until around 9:30 p.m. when they were drawn because of the incoming storms, said Myers. A few hours later, they returned to parts of the original website, as well as a dandruff on a nearby property.

“There was embers on the trees that were too high to really see or reach,” said Myers. “I think the embers were worn and caused the second fire. The dandruff was burned and a bit of the house, but we could turn it off before burning the house.”

About half a dozen departments in Morgan, Pike, Brown and Cass reacted to the fire.

McKinney is grateful that the fire brigade was able to react so quickly together with the other departments, she said.

“I thank God, they came out and saved some of these houses,” she said.