Multiple departments responded to a fire with heavy flames and explosions shortly before 10:40 p.m. Saturday that destroyed a small home in the 4700 block of Bohleysville Road near Arbor Ridge Drive in rural St. Clair County.

Responding agencies included the Waterloo, Columbia, Millstadt and Hecker fire departments in addition to the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department and EMS personnel.

Monroe County Electric Cooperative was also requested to the scene. 

The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal was also called to the scene to conduct an investigation.

“Everything is a total loss,” Waterloo Fire Chief Mike Lloyd said following the fire. “It was fully engulfed upon our arrival.”

The sole occupant of the home, an elderly male, was able to escape the fire, which occurred as steady rain had been falling in the area. 

The man was transported by ambulance to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis for treatment of unspecified injuries, where he was believed to be in stable condition at last report, Lloyd told the Republic-Times.

Waterloo firefighters returned to the scene twice on Sunday morning for separate rekindlings of the fire. 

The WFD returned yet again early Tuesday afternoon for a third rekindling.

A cause of the blaze is undetermined at this time, Lloyd said. 

The owner of the property is listed as Arlen H. Juergens.