Vacant home at 304-306 Cherry damaged in overnight fire

QUINCY — The Quincy Fire Department’s Cause and Origin investigators were on scene with Quincy Police Department (QPD) investigators on Saturday morning, working to determine the cause of an overnight structure fire at 304-306 Cherry.

The Quincy Fire Department (QFD) was dispatched to a general alarm structure fire in a house at Third and Cherry at 4:04 a.m. Saturday, March 22. The house was reported to be vacant. 

A general alarm response brings three fire trucks and the incident commander to the scene. The first crew arrived and reported fire visible on the east side. An attack line was deployed, forced open the door to the house, and began extinguishment through the door. The incident commander called for a fourth crew to respond. 

The second crew arrived and connected the first arriving truck to the fire hydrant at Third and Cherry Street, then used its truck to block traffic from driving over the fire hose. The third crew arrived, pulled another attack line off the first truck and advanced it to the second floor on the east side. 

The incident commander asked for Ameren to respond and called for a second alarm, which brought the fifth and last on-duty crew to the fire scene. The second alarm also called in off-duty personnel to man reserve fire trucks for any additional calls that might be dispatched. The fourth and fifth trucks arrived and assisted with fire suppression efforts. Ameren arrived and reported that no utilities were supplied to the house.

QPD and Adams County Ambulance were on scene in case they were needed. The QFD Volunteer Rehab Team also responded to assist firefighters recover during their breaks in operations.

The upper and lower east apartments sustained significant fire damage, and the entire structure sustained smoke damage. Nineteen firefighters were on the scene from four engines, as well as the quint, the assistant chief, the fire chief and two fire investigators.