Five people escaped a burning home in the 4000 block of Lower Byrnes Mill Road in Byrnes this morning, March 31. A dog died in the fire, though, High Ridge Fire Protection District Capt. John Barton said.
He said an older man and woman, as well as a younger woman and her two young children, were in the home when the fire started in the kitchen.
“It appears it was a cooking-related fire,” Barton said.
He said the older woman and man called 911 just before 8 a.m. after trying to put out the fire themselves. When firefighters arrived at 8:03 a.m., the two were in a screened-in porch attached to the home.
The man had a minor injury from falling while trying to leave the house. He was not transported to a hospital for treatment, though, Barton said.
He said the couple told first responders no one else was in the house. However, firefighters searched the house and found the couple’s daughter and her two young children sleeping in the basement. They were evacuated without any injury.
Barton said the couple told firefighters they thought their daughter and her children were staying somewhere else.
“We actually have a saying in the fire service that a house is not empty until we say it's empty,” he said. “We are grateful, though, because the situation could have taken an even more tragic turn had the victims not been located when they were, due to deteriorating smoke conditions.”
Barton said there were smoke detectors in the home, but none of them were working.
“We urge all residents to ensure that they have functioning smoke detectors in every bedroom and at every level of their home, and regularly test those detectors,” he said.
Barton said the fire district will provide and install smoke detectors for free if people request them.
The Byrnes Mill house was significantly damaged and is uninhabitable due to fire and smoke damage, Barton said.
The Antonia, Cedar Hill and Eureka fire protection districts helped with the call, and the Big River Ambulance District responded to the scene.