Jefferson R-7 fire officials believe high winds rekindled flames from a controlled burn and caused a blaze that heavily damaged a garage south of Olympian Village today, Feb. 28.
Zach Smallegan, Jefferson R-7 Fire Protection District fire marshal, said firefighters responded at 11:37 a.m. to a two-car detached cabin-style garage on fire in the 2200 block of Reising Road.
“It was called in by a UPS driver,” he said. “He was making a delivery in the area.”
Smallegan said the garage and brush around it burned.
“There were no cars in the garage, but there were four-wheelers and, I believe, a lawn mower,” he said. “Everything inside the garage was a total loss and the roof burned off. The building is still standing. It’s not known yet if they can fix it.”
He said about an acre of brush surrounding the garage burned and had to be contained. Firefighters kept the blaze away from the house, he said.
“The fire was placed under control at approximately 11:50 a.m.,” Smallegan said. “The crew kept the fire from the main house. We were on scene about two hours.”
He said high winds contributed to starting the fire and spread the flames to surrounding brush.
“The homeowner said she did a burn two or three days ago,” Smallegan said. “We believe the wind sparked it back up.”
He said no injuries were reported.
The Festus Fire Department and the De Soto Rural, Hematite and Hillsboro fire districts assisted with the call and Joachim-Plattin Ambulance also responded.