New Litchfield Police Chief Sworn In as Fire Department Lauded for Containing Massive Bowling Alley Blaze

Litchfield City Council Meeting | March 19, 2026

Article Summary: The Litchfield City Council on Thursday, March 19, 2026, officially swore in Robert L. Carpenter as the city’s new Chief of Police and publicly praised the fire department’s heroic efforts to contain a massive, wind-whipped fire at the local bowling alley.

Litchfield Emergency Services Key Points:

• Robert L. Carpenter took the official oath of office to become Litchfield’s new Chief of Police, bringing over 10 years of prior chief experience.

• City officials praised the Litchfield Fire Department and mutual aid partners for containing a severe Sunday afternoon fire at the local bowling alley.

• Fire crews battled 25 to 40 mph winds and utilized over 2,000 gallons of water per minute to prevent the blaze from destroying neighboring structures.

The Litchfield City Council on Thursday, March 19, 2026, welcomed a new leader for its police force while simultaneously honoring the recent heroic efforts of its fire and street departments following a major structural fire.

The meeting began with the official swearing-in of Robert L. Carpenter as the new Litchfield Chief of Police. Mayor Jacob Fleming praised Carpenter, noting he successfully navigated a strict interview circuit.

“He’s got 10-plus years of experience already as a chief in Maryville,” Mayor Fleming said. “He’s got a lot of connections, and he’s been very pleasant to deal with. He’s going to be a huge asset to our city.”

After taking the oath, Chief Carpenter addressed the council and the assembled crowd of Litchfield and Maryville officers. “I will serve the citizens of Litchfield to the best of my capability,” Carpenter said. “I believe in teamwork. We’re all one team. If things go right, we all get credit. If things go wrong, we all get credit.”

Following the ceremony, the council’s attention turned to the massive fire that recently destroyed the local bowling alley. Mayor Fleming called it a “minor miracle” that the fire did not spread to neighboring homes and fields, citing severe high winds and thunderstorm conditions.

Fire Chief Adam Pennock provided a detailed summary of the incident, explaining that the department was dispatched on a Sunday afternoon after a neighbor to the east spotted the blaze. First responders arrived to find dark yellow smoke, indicating a deep-seated fire already established within the structure.

Acting Chief Chad Drew was praised for immediately upgrading the alarm and making the crucial tactical decision to keep all firefighters out from under the building’s roof structure. The official noted the building had a known hazard involving chicken wire holding up attic insulation, which could have collapsed and fatally trapped crews.

Pennock arrived on scene about 15 to 20 minutes later and took over command.

“The wind was so strong that day. It was 25 mph sustained winds at the time of the fire, gusting upwards of 40,” the Pennock reported. “The fireball at one time was almost to the house across and to the west of the fire. We had spot fires happening in the hayfield.”

Instead of attacking the interior, crews focused strictly on protecting the surrounding exposures. The response required massive water volume, with four master stream devices and hand lines pumping upwards of 2,000 gallons a minute. The effort relied heavily on mutual aid partners, including Staging Officer Justin Key from Carlinville and Water Supply Officer Donnie Kaiser from Witt, who coordinated a tender shuttle to supply the ladder trucks.

“Everybody surrounding was there and everybody came to help and didn’t ask questions,” the official said, also noting that off-duty personnel like Dave Rogers rushed back from Wood River to assist. “It’s because of that that nothing else burnt.”