A Wednesday early-morning structure fire sent the Urbana Fire Division rushing to the 1600 block of West State Route 296, where an outbuilding was found heavily engulfed just after midnight.
Crews arrived to find intense flames and a partial structural collapse, prompting firefighters to take a defensive approach for safety immediately. Mutual-aid support was automatically dispatched from West Liberty Fire, with additional tankers and engines later requested from JSP Fire, Mechanicsburg Fire, and Northeast Champaign County Fire as the operation expanded.
The blaze was brought under control roughly two hours after arrival. While the fire demanded significant resources, there were no injuries reported.
Recalled personnel were brought in to maintain district coverage during the incident. The Urbana Fire Division thanked all assisting agencies, dispatchers, AES personnel, and law enforcement for their support throughout the call.
A full damage assessment is underway, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
