Two women were treated for smoke inhalation following an Oct. 10 fire at a home in the 13000 block of Springdale Road in the De Soto area. The home was destroyed, De Soto Rural Fire Chief Tom Fitzgerald said.
He said he believes pets died in the fire.
At 12:43 p.m., firefighters were called to the home, which is off Klondike Road south of De Soto, he said.
“Crews responded promptly and within minutes of responding, multiple companies reported a working fire from afar,” according to a written release from the De Soto Rural Fire Protection District. “While enroute, Jefferson County 911 advised units that there was an uncertainty that subjects may still be inside the structure.”
The first firetruck arrived at 11:39 a.m., and firefighters reported that the wood-framed house was fully engulfed in fire.
“The structure was deemed evacuated, and no one was inside,” the statement said.
The fire was under control at 1:30 p.m., Fitzgerald said.
He said Valle Ambulance transported the women to an area hospital.
“I do not have specific information on them,” he added.
The Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire, and as of Tuesday, Oct. 15, the cause was unknown, Fitzgerald said.
The Hillsboro, Jefferson R-7, Hematite, Mapaville, Goldman, Big River, St. Clair and Potosi fire protection districts and the De Soto and Festus fire departments assisted on the scene. The High Ridge and Dunklin fire protection districts handled the district’s other calls, he said.