A fire damaged a house in the Summer Set Lake development south of De Soto on Tuesday, Jan. 21. One occupant was in the house at the time of the fire and was able to get out safely, De Soto Rural Fire Chief Tom Fitzgerald said.
He said firefighters were dispatched at 10:26 a.m. to a car fire next to the house on Independence Avenue, which spread to the siding and attic of the home. When the first firefighters arrived, the car was fully engulfed in flames and heavy fire was in the attic.
“The home suffered heavy damage due to ceiling needing to come down because of smoldering blown-in insulation,” he said. “The fire damage was contained to the attic and exterior of the home and auto, of course, and crews used tarps to cover the first floor before pulling down the ceiling and insulation.”
Fitzgerald said a couple of firefighters fell on the ice, but no one was seriously injured.
The Hillsboro, Hematite and Big River fire protection districts and the De Soto Fire Department assisted with the fire. The Red Cross was contacted to help the family.