Weekend fires claim two structures

Two fires broke out within six hours of each other on Sunday night and Monday morning.

Poplar Bluff firefighters first responded to a building fire at 6:28 p.m. on Highway 142 Sunday, then to a fire in a vacant three-story structure at 724 Cynthia St. shortly after midnight Monday.

The fire at 66 Highway 142 behind the Social Security Office was outside the city limits. According to Capt. Steven Burkhead’s report, the first crew of firefighters arrived to find a fully-involved, vacant and unsecured structure. The eight firefighters on the scene used 1,500 gallons of water and spent about two hours at the scene. A thermal imaging camera and ventilation were both used.

The building inspector was notified of the fire.

At the Cynthia Street fire, Battalion Chief Roy Lane’s report said firefighters found fire around where utilities ran to the house and called Municipal Utilities. One crew then made a forcible entry through the front door, putting the fire out on the first floor, while another crew made its way to the second floor and discovered fire on the third floor.

Utilities arrived on scene and pulled the meter on the house, the report stated.

The nine firefighters spent nearly two hours on scene, using 2,000 gallons of water to put out the fire. The Poplar Bluff Police Department assisted at the scene.

They used the thermal imaging camera to check for hot spots.

The property is owned by Maurice I. Hammond of Williamsville.