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Students Escape High School Fire

Augusta, IL – Fire heavily damaged a Hancock County high school on Friday, but no students or teachers were injured. Augusta Fire Department Public Information Officer Don Arnold says the call from Southeastern High School came into the department shortly before noon. He says the south part of the building was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. At least part of the roof collapsed. Principal Todd Fox says 184 students attended classes at the school. There were nine classrooms in the red brick part of the building where the fire occured. It's believed it was built in 1920. Fox says it's "sadder than heck" to see what happened, but he believes the community is resilient. Firefighters from six departments were on the scene to extinguish the blaze. The Illinois Fire Marshal's office will be called in to investigate and help determine the cause.