An electrical short led to a fire that damaged the east side and roof of Trigg’s Flooring on Front Street just off of St. Anthony Avenue Tuesday evening. At around 5:30 the Effingham Fire Department received a call that smoke was rising out the wall and roof of the building. Crews arrived and began battling the fire which was both inside and outside the building.
Crews had the flames mostly extinguished by 5:45, or so, and began the process of ripping off exterior panels to prevent any further spread of embers. The Fire Department also had to cut into portions of the roof. Power and gas were shut off in the building at the time.
Fire Chief Joe Holomy said the fire started due to a short on an outside electrical conduit that ignited the insulation in between the structure’s outer wall that consists of two metal layers. There is no estimate on the cost of the damage as of yet.