The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
If there is any good news at all, it is the fact that no lives were taken in the early morning fire that swept through the Monmouth Municipal Airport Friday, Oct. 25th.
The fire started in the administrative office and moved through the attached hanger that housed ten airplanes, destroying eight planes and damaging a ninth plane owned by Brad Clark of the Rozetta area, in Henderson County.
The fire has brought out many emotions to those who worked and frequented this historic small airport, the longest running airport in the state of Illinois established in 1921.
"A lot of history is lost," said an emotional Greg Manuel who flew in from his business in Rockford, IL around 11 hours after the fire was discovered shortly before 6 a.m..
"This place met so much to me and to my dad Russ Manuel who spent many hours here. "I grew up here!" Greg said, "I gave my wife her first airplane ride her," he said as he wiped off the tears.
Greg was also concerned about airport manager Mel Lynch, an Illinois aviation hall of fame member, whose whole heart was in this airport.
"He's lost so much already," Greg said, refering to the sudden loss of Lynch's wife Sandy (Smith) several years back.
"And the large picture of her he had hanging on the wall inside he has lost."
Greg's wife Patsy who works in Monmouth, was waiting at the airport to pick him up, and said she hesitated in calling her husband to give him the news knowing how hard it would be for him to fly home tonight.
Another person on the scene that evening was Harrel Timmon and his wife Judith of Galesburg who had at one time provided fuel and services for the Monmouth airport.
Timmon was saddened to hear of the fire and said their fly-in every 4th of July is the longest running fly-in in the state and he hopes they keep it going, even if they have to rent a tent for the breakfast.
Along with Monmouth airport manger Mel LynchTimmon is also a member of the Illinois Aviation Hall of Fame as outstanding contributors to aviation in Illinois.
Al MGuire of McGuire & Davies Funeral Home and Crematory saw smoke coming out near the office and the first bay and noticed there was light flickering underneath the doors as he was driving by the airport so he pulled in and called the police. It was reported McGuire was returning from paying his employees who were at the cemetery.
Monmouth Fire Chief said the fire was reported at 5:54 a.m. and the fire was "fully involved" and one of the planes exploded upon their arrival.
It was difficult to get access to the building due to the building being made of metal.
Mayor Davies son and Brian Daw pushed two of the privately owned planes out of their slots it was reported, one a smaller Challenger that didn't seem to suffer damage, the other had melted windshields and damaged wings.
It was said, 20 to 60 gallons of fuel were in each plane and electricity was turned off as well as access to fuel.
Fire departments were called to assist with hauling water and fighting the blaze and were there for three hours before it was extinguished.
Among agencies that assisted Monmouth firefighters were departments from Abingdon, Alexis, Avon, Biggsville, Cameron, Kirkwood, Little York, Oquawka, Roseville, Smithshire and Swan Creek.
The Monmouth Police Department and Galesburg Hospital Ambulance Service also helped and only one injury was reported when a fireman twisted his ankle and was looked at.
The Illinois State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire so as yet is undetermined but City Administrator said his findings he was told could take some time.
The Monmouth Municipal Airport is open for public use but currently at a slower pace although electricity was restored by Monday as runway lights were on that evening.
Mayor Davies was quoted as saying the airport generated over $6 million dollars in economic activity for Monmouth and it would be hard to replace that, he said.
According to Monmouth Fire Chief Casey Rexroat the rough estimate of the damage is over million dollars but saying it is hard to know the complete value of the eight airplanes that were destroyed, including a plane belonging to the airport that was given to them by the Pattee Foundation, a 1975 Cessna 172.
The Monmouth Flying Club, a 53-year-old group of aviation enthusiasts, was also based at the airport where most of its archives and information was burned.
Six students were being trained as pilots and an effort is being made to find a way to move forward with the training and the flying club, possibly seeking out the Galesburg airport's help.
According to members in the club, 4,000 takeoffs and landings take place on average yearly, most related to crop dusting and agricultural purposes.
The airport suffered a blaze in the 1970s, Greg Manuel said, a fire that never was determined of its cause and that destroyed two airplanes, part of the hangar as well as an office.
All that is left of the hangar at the Monmouth Municipal Airport is a shell. An early morning fire Friday morning wiped out access to fuel for planes and knocked down the navigation communication system. The airport operations are still functioning, but at a slower pace. The mayor said the airport generates about $6 million in economic activity for the city each year and is home to the Monmouth Flying Club which was training six future pilots. The airport is the oldest continuous running airport in Illinois and it's 4th of July fly-in is the longest continuous fly-in in the state.