Woman, two firefighters injured in fire

A 63-year-old Poplar Bluff woman is in a St. Louis-area hospital being treated for burns sustained from an early morning house fire Monday at 921 Cedar St. Two firefighters were treated at the local emergency room for burns and released.

Poplar Bluff Fire Chief Mike Moffitt called Capt. Chad Bell and firefighter Jon Miller “truly our heroes. They went above and beyond the line of duty to save her life.”

The woman, Pam Stratton, reported the fire shortly after 4:30 a.m. and stayed on the line with dispatchers until the firefighters arrived.

Moffitt said, “We could have had three fatalities in a heartbeat, but they got them all out safely.”

According to reports, Stratton suffered second and third-degree burns on both legs and second degree burns on both arms. Most of her injuries were from the waist down and the arms. She was awake and talking until emergency medical personnel intubated her to fly her to Mercy Hospital.

Battalion Chief Stacy Harmon reported firefighters were in route when they were informed there was a female trapped in the residence and she was on the phone with the dispatcher.

Firefighters found a single-story wood frame house with heavy smoke coming from two sides. They went to the front of the house and were met by a police officer, who stated he could hear the occupant inside the front of house. The crew attempted to open the front door but it was blocked by contents inside.

At that time, another crew arrived and someone went to side door to try to make entry. That door was blocked by contents as well, according to reports.

The firefighters breached a front window to perform the rescue, while another officer worked on clearing the front door, Harmon’s report stated. The door was cleared just as officers located the victim behind the sofa in the front living room.

According to the report, Harmon said, firefighters “were in the process of removing the victim when the room flashed and caused burns to Bell and Miller. We got the victim to the front yard where EMS was waiting. Officer 29 (Bell) and FF 49 (Miller) were taken by ambulance and treated for burns then released. We were able to extinguish the fire and the State Fire Marshal’s office was called in to investigate. Cause is still under investigation.”

Bell suffered burns to his ears and shoulders, according to reports. Miller received multiple minor burns. Both were treated at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center.

According to Moffitt, Miller and Harmon were the first on the scene. Others arriving within minutes were Bell, Tanner Tibbs, Kenny Felts and Andrew Fox. The third crew to arrive was Capt. Toby Tuggle and firefighter Josh Buhler.

Moffitt said, “If we had been at our prior staffing, the outcome would have been different.”

Until recently, six was the minimum number of firefighters on duty, but the number was increased to seven, Moffitt said.

“Until we get more, that is the way it is going to be,” he said.

“I want to thank Poplar Bluff police patrolmen Shaun Prenger, Kenny Carpenter, Jeremy Elless and James Henry,” Moffitt said.

Butler County EMS had three ambulances on the scene.

State fire marshal’s staff Sgt. Robbie Sterner of West Plains and investigator Stephen Murphy of Poplar Bluff are investigating the fire.