Fire agencies worked together to cover multiple emergency calls; arrest made on arson fire
HERRIN, Ill. (KBSI) – Multiple agencies responded to a fire in Herrin.
According to the Herrin Fire Department a little after 7:00 am this morning, November 14, 2024 the Herrin Fire Department was called out to a structure fire, while already on a medical call.
Emergency Response unit 1 arrived to find heavy fire exiting a 2nd floor apartment.
Crews made a quick interior attack in attempt to get the fire under control.
A general alarm was requested for all Herrin Fire Department personnel and for Marion Fire Department to cover the station.
While on this call, Herrin Fire Department was then called to a 2-vehicle traffic crash involving a power pole.
Marion’s engine crew, along with HFD personnel responded to that call.
The structure fire is currently under investigation and the department gives no other details at this time.
Update on the fire investigation as of November 15, 2024.
Officers arrived on scene to a domestic violence situation and discovered a fire in the process.
According to the Herrin Police Department on November 14 around 6:40 am they responded to a disturbance call on 602 North Sixth Street.
After arriving officers located a woman at an address next to the address that was called in.
Officers immediately noticed injuries on the women that looked like shed just been in a physical altercation.
She told officers she had been physically harmed by her boyfriend before she fled their apartment.
After gathering information officers went up to the two-story apartment building in an attempt to locate the boyfriend.
Officers located the apartment and the suspect- Doniel J McKenzi .
While officers were detaining McKenzi they noticed smoke and flames coming from the apartment.
Officers then ran inside the apartment to check if anyone else was inside the apartment.
They then cleared the apartment building for safety.
Herrin Fire Department, Herrin Police Department Investigations and Illinois State Fire Marshall arrived on scene.
After investigation it was found that the fire was intentionally set.
Doniel J McKenzi was arrested and faces multiple charges including.
-Aggravated Arson
-Aggravated Domestic Battery
McKenzi was taken to the Williamson County Jail.
