LIBERTY, ILL. -- A State Fire Marshal says the cause of a rural Liberty house fire will remain undetermined.
The early morning fire destroyed the home of Mark Bortz and his wife Wednesday.
Liberty Fire Protection District Chief Don Loos says firefighters had trouble getting to the scene, at 2649 North 725th Place, where the home stood engulfed in flames. The road to the home was completely snowed in, which prevented fire trucks from getting to the house. Instead, firefighters used two brush trucks to drive up the McKee Township road to the home.
Loos says since the home was fully engulfed, the firefighters were only able to use their limited water to protect the outbuildings and nearby barn.
Bortz and his wife were at home at the time of the fire, but were able to get out safely.
The house is considered a total loss.
An Illinois Fire Marshal was on scene for a few hours Wednesday afternoon. Loos says that's standard procedure for volunteer fire departments when there is no trained investigator.
The Red Cross was also on hand to assist the Bortz family.
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