UPDATE: 3 dogs die in fire that destroys home on North Galena Road

UPDATE (4:07 p.m.) - The home is now fully demolished following the fire Friday night. There is no apparent damage to the surrounding homes. Trees in front of where the house once stood have burns on them, suggesting the wind may have blown off the river towards Galena Road.

Peoria Fire Department is still investigating the cause.

A longtime neighbor of the home recalled the woman who built the house. Katie Ohlmann says the house was built after World War II using plywood.

The night of the fire she says the house was quickly engulfed in flames, leading to its destruction.

“Plywood, that’s what it does, it goes up in flames but it’s a sad thing because it’s the plywood from years ago it isn’t the plywood we have now,” Ohlmann said.

Multiple neighbors stopped by to check in on the demolished house. Ohlmann said it’s a small neighborhood, so many of the people know and check in on each other.

UPDATE (4 a.m.) - The Peoria Fire Department said an emergency demolition of a home was ordered after a fire there late Friday night killed three dogs.

The two people who lived in the house in the 7700 block of North Galena Road, near Derby Road, were not there at the time, according to a release from Battalion Chief Thomas Sander.

He said none of the 34 firefighters at the scene were hurt.

Firefighters found the single-story home “fully involved” in fire when they arrived, said Sander.

Authorities closed down Galena Road and the nearby railroad to protect a water supply line and to ensure firefighters had access to the burning building.

An investigator was called to the scene to determine the cause.

The battalion chief said emergency demolition was ordered because of “extensive deterioration” of the home.

The fire department estimates damage at $175,000.

PEORIA (25 News Now) - The 7700 block of North Galena Road close to the Illinois River was shut down Friday night because of a house fire.

Firefighters were called about 10 p.m. to the home near the Galena-Derby Road intersection. The Emergency Communications Center announced the road closure at 10:10 p.m.

A dispatcher said there have been no reports of anyone inside the house when the fire broke out.

This story will be updated.

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