It was a busy Monday morning for area firefighters, who responded to two suspicious fires along the same road near Millstadt within 30 minutes of each other.

Shortly before 6 a.m., Columbia Fire Department personnel provided assistance to Millstadt with a fully involved fire at Kountry Korners Tavern, located at 5866 Floraville Road. Flames were shooting through the roof of the structure upon firefighter arrival and it appeared the building was a total loss despite efforts from multiple fire departments at the scene.

A short time later, firemen responded to what was initially classified as a chimney fire to a home in the 6800 block of State Route 163 near Millstadt. The roof of the home, which was not occupied at the time, eventually caved in due to the flames and that structure also appears to be a total loss.

“The whole roof was on fire when we got there,” Columbia Assistant Fire Chief Jim Broshears said of the house fire.

Jefferson Street in Millstadt becomes Floraville Road to the south of town and Route 163 to the north.

The two fires were only a couple of miles apart.

Waterloo firemen stood by at the Columbia fire station to handle calls while CFD personnel assisted at both fire scenes. Other fire departments assisting with the blazes include Smithton, Northwest, Villa Hills, Swansea and Prairie du Pont.

The causes of both fires have not yet been determined and an investigation is underway.

No injuries were reported in either blaze. It appears that both fires originated in the attic or upper levels of the structures, fire officials said.

The State Fire Marshal is looking into both fires. Millstadt Fire Chief Kurt Pellman considered the circumstances of these fires suspicious.

“To have two fires within minutes of each other for a town our size, it’s suspicious,” Pellman said. “It threw up a red flag. That’s why we called the State Fire Marshal in.”

The investigation could take a couple of weeks, the chief said.

Further adding to the suspicion is the fact that the resident of the home where the second fire occurred, 48-year-old Thomas D. Swearingin, was arrested in December for felony delivery of methamphetamine and possession of anhydrous ammonia, according to St. Clair County court records, and has an extensive criminal record.

He is scheduled to appear at the St. Clair County Courthouse on the drug charges in March.