A fire destroyed a home and two cars and damaged two other homes and two other cars in the 1700 block of Dandridge Lane in Barnhart. No people were injured by the fire, but a dog and cat were found dead inside the house, the Antonia Fire Protection District reported.
Antonia Fire was called at 5:04 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20, and the first firetruck arrived at 5:12 a.m. The blaze was under control at 6:22 a.m., and the scene was cleared at noon, the report said.
Eight people and some dogs who were in the home were outside, but there were several cats that were not accounted for by Wednesday afternoon. One of the people at the home was transported to an area hospital, Deputy Chief Bobby Chrisco said.
He said investigators believe the fire started in either the garage or front porch area. The cause of the fire was still under investigation as of Wednesday afternoon.
Two cars parked in the driveway were destroyed by the heat. The siding melted two neighboring homes, and two cars parked on the street near the destroyed home were damaged, according to the report.
A gas leak also was detected because a gas line became disconnected from the home. Spire was called, and the line was capped, Chrisco said.
He said the seven people who were in the home were alerted by smoke detectors and all of them were able to get out of the house through a back door.
Chrisco said the homeowner told him that shortly before 5 a.m. a smoke detector alarm went off. He said the man, who was sleeping in the basement, went upstairs and saw the fire through the front window before getting everyone out of the house.
“The fire started on the exterior of the building, and it took a little time for the fire to build and smoke conditions to get inside the house,” he said. “That is why we preach having so many smoke detectors, having one on each floor, within 10 feet of a bedroom and one in each bedroom. That way wherever the smoke comes from, you can get early notification.”
Chrisco said the people at the home received assistance from the Red Cross.
“Some fire department families also gathered clothes for the occupants, and (Chief Matt Krutzsch) delivered that to them,” he said.
The Rock Community, Saline Valley and Dunklin fire protection districts and Festus and Herculaneum fire departments assisted on the call. The Rock Township Ambulance District also responded to the home.