A vacant modular home in the 1800 block of Willow Drive in Pevely was severely damaged by fire early Aug. 8, said Chief Brad Williams of the Dunklin Fire Protection District.
At 3:18 a.m., the district got a call about the fire and arrived on the scene at 3:22 a.m. to find flames showing through the roof of the home, Williams said.
Fortunately, no one was living in the home at the time, he said.
“It was a rental home that was vacant,” Williams said.
He said the house was empty, and it appeared the owners were getting ready to work on it.
After the first truck arrived, firefighters went around to the back of the home and fought the fire from the exterior. After the second truck arrived, firefighters entered the home to fight the fire from the interior, Williams said.
Firefighters had the blaze under control in an hour, extinguished in about two hours, and were on the scene until approximately 8:30 a.m., he said.
“The house had substantial damage both inside and outside,” Williams said.
The cause of the fire is undetermined, and the state Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating, he said Tuesday (Aug. 14).
The Herculaneum and Festus fire departments, the Antonia, Jefferson R-7 and Hillsboro fire protection districts and the Joachim Plattin Ambulance District assisted with the call.