A fire recently consumed a home in the 5000 block of Mikel Lane in High Ridge, said Chief John Barton of the High Ridge Fire Protection District.
He said High Ridge Fire was dispatched to the home at 10:09 a.m. Nov. 21, and the first crews arrived at 10:14 a.m. to find the two-story home fully engulfed and the structure partially collapsing. Crews began battling the blaze and called in other units for help and additional resources. Barton said they called for more water supplies due to a lack of hydrants in the area.
Barton said firefighters had the blaze under control by 11:14 a.m., but by then the house was gone. The last unit left the scene at 3:34 p.m.
“The home was a total loss,” he said. “We could tell that was likely going to be the case when we arrived because part of the structure had already collapsed.”
Barton said three residents were living in the home, but none were there during the fire. The American Red Cross was called to assist them.
He said investigators with High Ridge Fire said the blaze did not appear suspicious, but the cause of the fire was undetermined as of Nov. 23. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office arson investigation team and the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s office were called to investigate, but Barton said that is standard procedure with large fires and was “not indicative” of any belief that arson was involved.
He said the Rock Community, Fenton and Valley Park fire protection districts and the Crestwood Fire Department helped with the call. The Big River Ambulance District and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the scene.