A fire heavily damaged a one-story house at 401 Valley Place in De Soto. No one was in the home when the fire began, De Soto Fire Chief James Maupin said.
He said the De Soto Fire Department got a call at 4:45 a.m. Wednesday, March 1, about the fire, and the first firefighters arrived on the scene within seven minutes to find a working fire. The fire was under control by 5:30 a.m., and firefighters remained on the scene until 8:39 a.m.
A neighbor told firefighters that animals were inside the home, but Maupin said no animals were found inside.
Maupin said a second-alarm went out to get additional personnel.
He also said one of the firefighters encountered a hole in the floor but didn’t fall all the way through. The firefighter, who got out with help from other firefighters, had some bumps and bruises but was not seriously injured.
Maupin said he asked the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office to investigate the cause of the fire due to the time of day it occurred and since no one was home at the time.
The homeowner, who was at a friend’s house in St. Louis, told first responders he didn’t need any assistance from the American Red Cross.
The Crystal City and Festus fire departments and the Hillsboro, Hematite and De Soto Rural and Big River fire protection districts helped with the call. The Valle Ambulance District also responded to the scene.