The Eureka Fire Protection District responded to three fires within 48 hours, beginning with a garage and house fire Wednesday, Nov. 12, then a shed and house fire Thursday, Nov. 13, and finally a tractor-trailer fire early this morning, Nov. 14.
Chief Scott Barthelmass said Eureka Fire crews responded to a call of a garage fire at 12:52 p.m. Wednesday at the 600 block of Diecke Road near Crescent. The fire spread from a garage to a neighboring house’s roof due to a propane tank explosion in the garage, he said.
“An individual was burning some brush, which set their garage on fire,” Barthelmass said. “The garage had a number of flammable items, including a propane tank, which exploded. The garage is a total loss; the house next door sustained minor to moderate damage.”
He said crews stayed on the scene for one to two hours. No injuries were reported. Eureka Fire was assisted by the Fenton, Valley Park, Metro-West, High Ridge, Cedar Hill and Pacific fire protection districts.
The second fire occurred at 4 p.m. Thursday in a large metal shed at the 400 block of Augustine Road in Eureka. The house, located close to the shed, also caught fire.
A fire broke out at a shed and spread to the home at the 400 block of Augustine Road in Eureka on Nov. 13, after a riding lawnmower caught fire.
“An individual had been mulching leaves in the yard and put their riding lawnmower back in their shed,” Barthelmass said. “(The lawn mower) caught on fire and then the shed caught on fire, which set the house on fire. The shed was a total loss. The house had minor to moderate damage.”
The Valley Park, Fenton, High Ridge, Cedar Hill, Metro-West and Pacific fire protection districts assisted on the scene, Barthelmass said. He said fire crews were on the scene for about two hours.
The third incident occurred at 4:32 a.m. today when a tractor-trailer traveling westbound on I-44 near Antire Road caught fire. Barthelmass said traffic was mostly limited to one lane while crews worked to put out the fire for about five hours.
“When crews responded on the scene, they found the trailer portion fully involved,” Barthelmass said. “The fire was believed to have started back by the rear axle. (The trailer) contained candy, snacks, nuts and things like that.”
Barthelmass said the driver managed to detach the tractor from the burning trailer and did not sustain any injuries. Eureka Fire was assisted by the Valley Park, Fenton, High Ridge, Boles, Monarch and Pacific fire protection districts, he said.