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WASHINGTON -- An Illinois congressman is paying tribute to a southern Illinois firefighter who was killed battling a blaze over the weekend.

U.S. Rep. Mike Bost's office says the congressman spoke in Washington on the floor of the House on Thursday in praise of 24-year-old Kody Vanfossan. Vanfossan died early Sunday fighting a fire at a vacant two-story building in the community of Christopher.

Bost said that Vanfossan was following a family tradition of firefighting. He noted his father is a captain in Christopher's fire department and his grandfather - the mayor of Christopher - was once a firefighter with the Valier Fire Department.

The Murphysboro Republican also said that the community of Christopher will remember Vanfossan as a hero.