Early-morning fire leaves home a total loss
The Desloge Fire Department was called to the 500 block of North Desloge Drive Wednesday just after 6 a.m. for a house that was on fire.
Desloge Assistant Fire Chief Ken Hawkins said that a 911 dispatcher was the first one on the scene.
“He was on his way home from work and flames could be seen from the front of the residence,” said Hawkins. “There was very heavy smoke as well and the fire spread to the back of the house coming out a rear window.”
Due to the house being so close to the road the Desloge Police Department had to shut down North Desloge Drive in both directions because there were firetrucks blocking the roadway.
Hawkins said that firefighters entered the home through the front door and attacked the flames from inside as well as outside. It was reported from Big River Fire Chief Dave Pratte that the heat inside the home was so intense that window frames and even the bed springs from a mattress in the bedroom were melted down to the floor.
“The heat was so intense that we had to cut through the bedroom wall from the outside to let the fire breathe,” said Pratte. “There was a pet cat and snake in the home that didn’t make it. It appears from the smoke pattern that the fire originated in the bedroom area.”
It was reported over the scanner that there may be a rescue involved, but Hawkins said that they searched for the homeowner but couldn’t locate him in the residence and he wasn’t at work. He eventually showed up at the scene and stated that he was at his dad’s with his step-sister.
“The homeowner fortunately wasn’t home at the time and the kids were at their mother’s house,” said Hawkins. “It took us around 30 minutes to knock the flames down and then we worked on hot spots in the walls and roof.”
Fire departments assisting Desloge were Big River, Park Hills, Leadwood and Farmington Fire Departments. Desloge Fire Department was on the scene for five hours.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office was called in to investigate and according to Hawkins, the fire was ruled as an accidental fire. He believes the cause was electrical. The home was a total loss.
Several area fire departments assist the Desloge Fire Department with an early-morning fire Wednesday morning that resulted in the home being a total loss.
Firefighters work to extinguish the flames at a house in Desloge Wednesday morning. The home was a total loss and the lives of two family pets were lost.
Renee Bronaugh is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-518-3617 or rbronaugh@dailyjournalonline.com
