Multiple departments battle field blaze in Lick Creek area on very busy Saturday Two firefighters require medical treatment

Two Anna firefighters required medical treatment at area hospitals after they were overcome by dehydration and exhaustion while working a field fire last Saturday in Union County.

Anna Fire Department Chief Mike Stoner said both firefighters were treated and released.

Stoner said the fire which led to the hospitalization of the two firefighters was one of the worst he had seen in nearly 30 years of service.

Stoner also is urging area residents to pay very close attention to weather conditions and other factors which could impact outdoor burning – as well as the safety of firefighters who may be called to extinguish blazes which can quickly get out of control.

Anna firefighter Mark Duckworth was transported by the Union County Ambulance Service to Memorial Hospital of Carbondale for treatment.

Anna firefighter Jeremy Pollard was transported by the ambulance service to Union County Hospital in Anna for treatment.

The two men were among nearly 30 firefighters from six area fire departments who responded to a blaze which occurred on rugged terrain at 1415 Schlenker Rd. in the Lick Creek area.

Personnel from the Anna, Cobden, Goreville, Jonesboro and Lake of Egypt fire departments, as well as the U.S. Forest Service, responded to the call.

The Lick Creek area fire was reported at about 4 p.m. Saturday. Firefighters were at the scene until about 8:30 p.m.

Stoner said the property owner was using fire to burn invasive weeds. The fire got out of control and firefighters were called to the scene.

The fire occurred in hilly, rough terrain. Stoner said firefighters had a hard time getting to the fire, and an equally hard time transporting water to the site. Windy conditions added to the challenge of bringing the fire under control.

"It was unstoppable," Stoner said about the fire. "I've never seen one that moved so fast. It was the worst conditions I've ever seen." The fire burned about 25 acres.

The fire in the Lick Creek area was one of a number of blazes which kept firefighters busy throughout the day on Saturday, Stoner said.

A field fire reported at about 2:17 p.m. at 1400 Ashlar St. in Jonesboro burned about 50 acres. The fire also was the result of outdoor burning which got out of control.

The Anna Fire Department assisted the Jonesboro Fire Department in fighting the Ashlar Street blaze.

At about the same time that the Jonesboro fire was happening, another field fire was reported in the Fair City Road area southwest of Jonesboro. Ware-Wolf Lake firefighters responded to that call. Stoner said the Dongola Fire Department also was called out Saturday.

Stoner reported that Anna firefighters were leaving the scene of the Jonesboro blaze at about 4 p.m. Saturday when they received the call about the fire in the Lick Creek area.

Stoner praised the work done by Union County Sheriff's Office dispatcher Mike Dammerman during the many fires which were reported on Saturday.

The Anna fire chief described last Saturday afternoon and evening as "seven and a half hours that were just brutal."