A fire at a home on Rockwood Forest Valley Road, between Eureka and Wildwood, shut down Hwy. 109 for hours on Feb. 24 as firefighters worked to put out the blaze.
Eureka Fire Chief Scott Barthelmass said his crews were called to the scene at 3:57 p.m. and arrived six minutes later to find a two-story house completely engulfed with fire. He said an adult and a child living in the house safely evacuated and did not require medical attention.
A Eureka firefighter fell and injured his leg while fighting the fire, Barthelmass said, and was taken to SSM Health St. Clare Hospital in Fenton for treatment. He said the firefighter was treated and released from the hospital this morning.
The City of Wildwood, along with Mayor Joe Garritano, urged the public on social media to avoid Hwy. 109 at Rockwood Forest Valley Road to allow first responder crews access to the area. Garritano said that at 7:30 p.m., one lane on Hwy. 109 was reopened to traffic. Barthelmass said his crews cleared the scene at 11:10 p.m.
Barthelmass said there were about 100 firefighters and 30 apparatuses on the scene.
“It was a very difficult fire in a very difficult location with no water,” he said. “We had about 15 trucks running the water supply, shuttling water to the scene. All of the crews involved made an aggressive attack. It’s miraculous that there were no civilian injuries or loss of life, as fast as that fire developed. It shows the professionalism of our firefighters (and) the relationships we have with surrounding departments.”
The house was destroyed in the fire, Barthelmass said. He said a Jeep Gladiator truck also caught fire, along with about an acre of brush surrounding the property.
The cause of the fire is unknown, Barthelmass said, but in speaking with the adult living at the home, it is believed to have originated in the living room. He said the fire district has no reason to believe the fire was suspicious.
The Metro West, Pacific, Fenton, Valley Park, Monarch, West County, High Ridge and Boles fire protection districts assisted on the scene of the house fire, along with the Frontenac Fire Department and North Jefferson County Ambulance District.
As of noon today, firefighters have battled two more brush fires, Barthelmass said.
A brush fire was reported on Rockwood Forest Ridge Street at 6:01 p.m. on Feb. 24 and was cleared by 7:56 p.m., Barthelmass said. A second brush fire was called in at 6:39 a.m. today, also on Rockwood Forest Ridge Street.
“There is ash everywhere,” Barthelmass said. “The brush fire last night got up to two houses, but they were not damaged.”
The brush fire this morning was handled by off-duty Eureka Fire personnel, Barthelmass said, along with the Boles, Valley Park, Metro West, and West County fire protection districts, and chief officers from the Frontenac and Richmond Heights fire departments.
“When you look at the additional brush fire coming in, that was handled by our off-duty firefighters who came in without direction,” Barthelmass said. “They responded to that with our mutual aid partners. It was a busy night, but that’s what we’re here for.”