The Effingham Fire Department was dispatched to the area near Pinnacle Foods on S. Banker Street around 8:00 Monday night after receiving a call reporting smoke in the area.
A Sheriff’s Deputy on the scene confirmed that the smoke was coming from NOVA Office Furniture, located north of Pinnacle at 421 W. Industrial. The alarm was upgraded to a structure fire. Fire crews pinpointed the fire to lean-to building attached to the main building with a semi truck parked under it. The truck appeared to the source of the blaze. The fire was extinguished by 8:30, the main building, although full of smoke, was not at any additional risk.
After investigating, firefighters revealed that the fire was contained to sawdust in the dump of the semi. The origin of the fire was an auger which was positioned to fill the dump truck. The fire had traveled up the auger machine and started a fire in the dump truck full of sawdust.
While there was extensive smoke, the only structural damage was to the roof of the lean-to structure and was minor.