CARBONDALE - A small fire in the historic Tuscan Lodge in downtown Carbondale caused interior damage to the once-glamorous building at 201 N. Washington.

The fire was reported at about 1 a.m. Tuesday, and firefighters were on the scene for about one hour.

Solid construction of the building prevented the damage from being worse than it was, Carbondale Fire Chief Jeff Anderson said. The location of the structure in the downtown area contributed to the fire being spotted early, he said - another factor in the old building's favor.

"The fire burned a hole through the floor just off the main entrance on Washington Street," Anderson said, noting there was not much structural damage.

"It's heavy-timber construction inside," Anderson said. "There has been a lot of remodeling since the building was first built. It's really well constructed; it's too bad it's in the shape it's in."

Carbondale Police Sgt. Paul Echols said it appears that the fire was started by a homeless person taking refuge in the building. He said the building's owners have been contacted to remedy some of the problems allowing easy access to the vacant building.

"At the scene where the fire started, there was a burned-up mattress and some clothes strewn around," Anderson said.

He said at least one back door to the building was found open. In addition, a hole in an outside wall appears to be another means of entry for unauthorized persons, he said.

Anderson said battling a blaze at so old a building presents some extra safety concerns for firefighters on the scene.

"You have to watch for structural collapse in buildings like that," he said.

He said the fire department marked "fall zones" around the building in case the brick facade came loose from the timber structure.

Since most of the buildings in the primary fire zone around the building were the same construction, he said, it was important to contain the fire early. Since the fire was spotted before it engulfed a significant portion of the structure, the firefighters were able to do that.

The Tuscan Lodge building was recognized in 2005 by the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois as one of the "Eleven Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois."

The list is intended to bring attention to sites threatened by deterioration, lack of maintenance, insufficient funding, or inappropriate development. The list has been expanded to 11 sites several times over the years since it was first begun in 1995.

The building dates to 1894, when it was an Odd Fellows Hall. The Tuscan Lodge bought it in 1903 for use as Lodge 44. The Tuscan Lodge is an African-American Masonic order.

The banquet facilities hosted such musical legends as Cab Calloway, Miles Davis and Duke Ellington. In an earlier interview, Grand Worshipful Master of the Lodge, LaRue Love, said the building was a popular place for performers laying over in Carbondale.

The building was in use as a lodge until about 1997. The lodge met on the top floor and rented out the lower level. Two locally well-known restaurants, Jeremiah's and Cousins, both called the building home at one time.

The Tuscan Masonic Lodge meets now at the Eurma C. Hayes Center.

Members of the lodge were not available for comment Tuesday.

andrea.hahn@thesouthern.com

(618) 529-5454 ext. 5076