Overnight shed fire turns into three-alarm call

The Missouri State Fire Marshal is investigating a shed fire located behind a one story structure at 910 N. 13th St. The fire also damaged the siding on the home at the same address.

Chrystal O’Kelley, who lives at the address, reported to the Poplar Bluff police a building behind her residence caught fire after she allowed an adult male to spend the night in it.

Her police report said he pounded on a window and alerted them to the fire before he fled the scene on foot. O’Kelley believed he started the fire to keep warm and did not intend to damage the building.

The fire was reported at 9 p.m. Monday and according to Battalion Chief Jeff Hale’s report, all three stations and 10 firefighters responded to the scene.

“On arrival I found fire coming from the eves of the shed’s roof and out the front door,” Hale said.

The 600-foot shed was close to the house, and the siding on the 1,800-square-foot house was starting to burn.

Hale put firefighters on a line to protect while the other crews made an interior attack and extinguished the fire in the shed.

A moped was outside the shed and it was damaged by the fire. According Hale’s report, no identification names or numbers could be found on it. The occupant did not know who owned the moped.

The property is owned by Joseph Clark, 1901 N. Westwood Blvd.

Firefighters used 800 gallons to put out the fire, as well as stopping damage to house.

Some of the crews spent nearly two hours at the scene, while one crew left to extinguish an unauthorized burn.

In addition to Hale, other crew members were Tyler Daggett, Dustin Graves, Tyler Gutterman, Lt. Justin Maddock, Lt. Jonathan Miller, Capt. Justin Moyers, Lt. Travis Taylor, Jamie Watson and Chief Mike Moffitt.