Firefighters called to repeat fires at multiple locations over holiday weekend

Poplar Bluff firefighters’ Thanksgiving holiday included incidents involving the Missouri State Fire Marshal, one person going to the emergency room for smoke inhalation and numerous grass fires, many along on the banks of the Black River and the Union Pacific railroad.

Battalion Chief Kevin Edgar’s report stated at 11:51 a.m. Thursday, six firefighters responded to an oven fire to 2006 Raulston Ave. Upon arrival, they learned food had spilled inside the oven causing a lot of smoke. They found a small amount of smoke remaining, but no fire. They used ventilation fans to clear smoke from the residence.

Edgar stated at 1:36 p.m. Thursday firefighters were dispatched to Mill and Harper streets to an unauthorized burn where someone had lit something on fire in the middle of the roadway. They found a small pile of leaves smoldering. The fire was extinguished.

Edgar reported at 3:49 p.m. Thursday, near Bartlett and Second streets on the hillside on railroad right-of-way, firefighters found a grass and leaf fire. The crew used 250 gallons of water to put out the fire. The police were at the scene.

Fire crews responded to Bartlett and Second streets Friday, at 1:21 p.m., 5:09 p.m. and 10:11 p.m. for grass fires.

Edgar’s report stated upon arrival at 1:21 p.m. they found three separate leaf fires and there was nobody around. They used 100 gallons of water. He started this was the same location of a set of fires the day before. Police responded to the scene. Firefighters used approximately 250 gallons of water to extinguish the fires.

Edgar reported an incident at 5:09 p.m. was near the same location on a hillside and railroad right-of-way. The six responding firefighters found a grass and leaf fire. The crew used 250 gallons of water to put out the fire of undetermined origin.

A report of fire in a drainage ditch at Bartlett and Second streets at 10:11 p.m. was answered by a half dozen firefighters who used two gallons of water to extinguish the fire. The police were called.

According to Edgar’s report, “We were only a couple of blocks away at a leaf fire,” when the alarm came in of a building fire at 112 S. Main St., formerly a Dollar General store.

When firefighters arrived a portion of the exterior siding was burning on the side of the building. Crew members used 50 gallons of water to extinguish the fire. After the scene was investigated by the fire marshal, the firefighters boarded up an opening in the wall.

In between the grass fires and structure fire Friday, firefighters responded to an unintentional alarm activation at 12:45 p.m. at 2091 Iron Bridge. Capt. Brad Jones’ report said crews were informed on their way the alarm was set accidentally. No fire was showing and contact was made with the owner who confirmed the alarm was accident.

Capt. Steven Burkhead’s report at 3:40 p.m. Friday showed three firefighters were dispatched to clean up after a motor vehicle accident at 943 S. Westwood Blvd.

At 11:43 a.m. Saturday, Battalion Chief Stacy Harmon’s report said five firefighters responded to Oak and Rio Vista streets to a grass fire. They found multiple fires burning beside the railroad tracks. The police department was called to help find the person lighting the fires due to the department being called to the same area multiple times over the past three days. The fire crew used 250 gallons of water to put out the fires.

Firefighters responded both Saturday and Sunday to fires at 1004 Marylane Drive.

According to Harmon, at 2:57 a.m. Saturday the department received a direct call there was a small fire in the kitchen area on Maryland Drive. According to the report, the fire was allegedly caused by an indoor cat knocking an ashtray off the dining room table which had caught two upholstered dining room chairs on fire. The firefighters removed the chairs to the outside and made sure there were no other areas effected.

At 8:39 a.m. Sunday, firefighters from three stations returned to 1004 Maryland Drive for a kitchen fire.

Battalion Chief Jeffrey L. Hale said sparks were reported to be coming from an outlet. They found smoke coming from the structure. Hale and Lt. Travis Taylor found a small area of fire behind the freezer. Taylor quickly extinguished the fire with a water extinguisher. The main breaker was turned off. PPV fans were used to clear the smoke. The water hose the occupant had been using to extinguish the fire was removed. Utilities and gas were shut off due to the amount of water from the hose leaking through the floor into the basement ceiling. One of the occupants was transported by EMS for smoke inhalation.

According to Taylor’s report, at 11:49 a.m. Sunday two firefighters responded to a dumpster fire at Maya’s restaurant, 940 S. Westwood Blvd. They found a large-sized dumpster with white smoke and used a booster reel to extinguish the fire.