A Nov. 12 fire destroyed a couple’s home in the 3000 block of Brookstone Road south of Festus. The man who lives there was injured, and the woman was not home when the fire started, Jefferson R-7 Fire Marshal Zach Smallegan said.
“The homeowner had some minor burns, and a firefighter suffered heat exhaustion. I believe the homeowner was transported for medical care privately. The firefighter was not transported and is doing better,” Smallegan said Monday, Nov. 13.
He said the Jefferson R-7 Fire Protection District got a call at 1:40 p.m. about the fire, and when firefighters arrived, the man who lives there was outside the home.
“The house was pretty much fully involved when we got there,” Smallegan said. “It’s a large single-story house. There was fire in the garage and into the ceiling when we arrived. It’s a total loss.”
Smallegan said he believes a lawn mower in the garage caused the fire.
“One of the homeowners had used the lawn mower on leaves and put it away in the attached three-car garage,” he said.
Smallegan said that the lack of access to a nearby bridge hindered firefighters’ efforts to get to the home and to fight the fire. It also led the fire district to call for extra help with the fire.
The Antonia, De Soto Rural, Hematite, Hillsboro, Mapaville, Rock Community and Big River fire protection districts and the Crystal City, De Soto and Herculaneum fire departments assisted with the call.
“A lot of the reason was manpower and water, because the bridge at Doss Hollow is being replaced,” Smallegan said. “It called for a significant amount of (assistance) to get water because there are no hydrants in the area.”
He said firefighters remained on scene until about 6:30 p.m.