An investigation is continuing into what caused a fire in Westville Thursday night (March 5, 2026) that claimed a life. Vermilion County Coroner Jane McFadden identified the victim as 65-year-old Bryan J. Adams who lived on Sunset Drive where the fire occurred.
Westville Area Fire Protection District Chief Mark Ames says firefighters found the house fully engulfed in flames when they arrived shortly before midnight. In what Ames described as “two totally separate fires”, a detached garage was also burning.
Catlin, Georgetown, and Lynch firefighters assisted Westville fire units on the scene. And Chief Ames added that Tilton firefighters were on standby. Ames says he appreciates all the departments and other emergency personnel who assisted. He says it took about two hours to bring the fires under control.
On Friday, (March 6, 2026), Lynch, Catlin, and Georgetown firefighters again provided aid as they helped Westville firefighters extinguish a large garage fire. The cause of that fire along Grape Creek Road has been ruled accidental. Ames says it was ignited by a welding accident.
