Historic Fire in the Heartland
The glow in the night sky grew brighter over Effingham, Illinois, and by midnight the inferno was beyond control.
St. Anthony Hospital, the only hospital in Effingham County, was run by the Sisters of the Order of St. Francis. The main portion of the three-story brick building dated back to 1876, with several additions constructed later. At about 11:45 p.m. on the night of April 4, 1949, one of the nurses smelled smoke and alerted Sister Anastasia at the switchboard, who phoned the fire department; the hospital engineer, Frank Ries, who lived next door; and Sister Superior Ceciliana at the adjacent convent.
