A family of five is without a home following a fire this morning (April 17) in the 2400 block of Williams Creek Road in High Ridge, said engineer John Barton of the High Ridge Fire Protection.
All the family members got out OK. Unfortunately, the family’s five dogs died, Barton said.
Crews were dispatched to the blaze at 8:28 a.m., and when firefighters arrived on the scene, 25 percent of the house was already on fire, Barton said.
He said four adults and one child were home and asleep when the fire broke out. He said a grandmother woke up smelling smoke and saw smoke coming from the basement, and all the family members were able to escape uninjured.
Barton also said crew members worked to resuscitate one of the family’s five dogs, but were unsuccessful.
Since the home was destroyed in the fire, the Red Cross was called to help the family, he said.
The cause of the fire has not been determined but is not considered suspicious. However, the fire is still being investigated, Barton said.
He said firefighters were on the scene until about noon.
Barton said the Eureka, Saline Valley, Cedar Hill and Fenton fire protection districts helped with the call.