At 7:04 pm Sunday evening, the Clinton Fire Department responded to 501 East Pine Street to a report of a residential structure fire. Firefighters initially responded with two fire trucks and the on duty crew of four personnel.
After arriving on scene, fire crews found a single story residential structure with flames and heavy smoke showing from the front of the home. A second alarm was issued for all personnel to respond to the scene to assist in fire suppression efforts. Firefighters immediately identified that the water supply from the fire hydrant closest to the home was not supplying efficient water for fire operations. A Tanker truck, from the Clinton Rural Fire Association, was summoned to the scene to help supply water for extinguishing efforts. The fire was quickly brought under control but due to an excess amount of items in the home, fire crews spent several hours searching and extinguishing hidden fires buried in the debris.
Initially upon arrival, information was supplied to fire officials that the home was unoccupied and did not currently have a permanent resident living in the home. During the initial size up of the property, a door on the rear of the structure was found to be open. The door had appeared to have been nailed shut and forced open. To ensure no one was using the home for shelter, fire crews conducted a quick search of the home. After ensuring the home was vacant, fire extinguishing efforts resumed and an investigation in to the cause began.
Due to suspicious factors, an investigator with the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office was summoned to the scene. An investigation in to the cause of the fire yielded a location in the home where an accelerant was used to start the fire. The location in the home and the findings by the fire investigator, along with assistance of CFD fire officials, resulted in the fire being ruled arson.
Although the home was not occupied, the fire was noticed and reported early enough that fire suppression efforts were able to bring the fire under control and identify the cause. In total, 17 firefighters were on scene along with Fire Chief Leo Huff. The home, owned by Ms. Charlotte Spencer, sustained significant smoke and fire damage. Fire crews were on scene for approximately 5 hours.
This particular fire did not displace anyone directly, but the Clinton Fire Department would like to remind everyone of the importance of having working smoke detectors in your home. Winter months put homeowners at the highest risk of house fires due to the use of wood burning stoves, space heaters, and other sources of heat. Smoke detectors should be viewed as a necessity in any household as they alert occupants of the onset of fire. Early detection is very important in extinguishing a fire to prevent total loss. It is especially important for life safety, allowing occupants enough time to exit a home safely. The Clinton Fire Department is committed to ensuring that every home inside the city limits of Clinton has a working smoke detector. If you cannot afford to purchase one, please come to the fire station and we will provide you with one. If you cannot physically install a smoke detector in your home, we will come and install it for you. Please do your part in ensuring that you and your family are safe from fire by installing a minimum of one fire detector on each floor of your home. This simple preventative measure may be the key component in saving a life.
Courtesy of KDKD & The Clinton Fire Department
