Scrutiny of McDonald's site begins

Aug. 18—ALTON — A group of at least 10 people, most of whom appeared to be fire investigators, were climbing over, in and around the downtown Alton McDonald's restaurant, 717 E. Broadway, Wednesday morning, two months after the early morning fire that destroyed the building.

Alton firefighters received a call about 5:30 a.m. on June 17 reporting smoke coming from the roof of the building. Firefighters arrived to find a fire in or near an HVAC unit on the northeast corner of the roof. The fire had apparently been burning for some time and soon after firefighters arrived the HVAC unit collapsed partially through the roof.

The fire rapidly escalated in the kitchen area below the HVAC unit after the partial collapse.

Alton Deputy Fire Chief Robert Franke said Wednesday that the group was not affiliated with the Alton Fire Department and was most likely from the insurance company, conducting an investigation into the cause.

Among the group Wednesday were firefighters from outside the immediate area, a representative from a Southern Illinois-based HVAC company and a manager from the restaurant.

Several members of the group took pictures as they climbed through the rubble, devoting attention to the HVAC unit in question, which was pulled from the rubble the day of the fire by a trackhoe from the Alton Public Works Department. The unit was retrieved and pulled clear of the rubble as part of the Alton Fire Department's own investigation of the fire.

As the restaurant owner Dick Bold watched flames and smoke consume the building in June, he vowed to rebuild in the downtown area. Bold also owns the other Alton McDonald's, as well as the Godfrey and Bethalto locations. Employees had not yet reported for work the morning of the fire and nobody was injured. Firefighters from Godfrey, East Alton and the Florissant Valley Fire Protection District helped the Alton Department put out the fire.

The Golden Arches sign at the corner of Broadway and Ridge streets is one of few items that escaped the fire and the signboard still reads "Thanks first responders."

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