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Winds fuel destructive house fire near West City

BY BECKY MALKOVICH, The Southern

Wednesday, January 30, 2008 10:23 AM CST

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- An early Tuesday morning fire fanned by high winds destroyed a rural Franklin County house.

West City firefighters were called to the residence of Bill Reed on Saint Joseph Road just after 3 a.m. Tuesday, West City Fire Chief Jim Reed (no relation) said. Fire was already showing through the roof of the one-story house when firefighters arrived, he said.

The house was a total loss. Reed said the fire was electrical in nature and may have been caused by repeated power surges experienced in the rural area in the hours prior to the start of the fire.

Benton, West Frankfort and Ewing-Northern firefighters assisted.