Fire call

Fred Vincel, Cape Girardeau Fire Department shift commander, is on vacation this week.

But Wednesday night, he heard the scanner buzzing with a big house fire at 507 S. Frederick St. So, he went to work. He was suiting up as I arrived to cover the fire for the paper. We walked toward the big trucks, with their flashing lights and multiple lines running toward the house. Vincel paused to draw a yellow electric cord out a few more lengths from the fire engine, to diminish a tripping hazard. We stepped over that, and the blue attack hose, moving toward a cluster of fire fighters which included chief Rick Ennis. Everyone was listening to the guy with the red hat usually in charge at the scene, in this case, Brad Dillow.

When Vincel is on duty, he often wears the red hat, but on Wednesday, he was hoping to do regular firefighter work. Within moments, he had another assignment: responding to a call from the Towers Complex.

The Frederick Street fire is under investigation. Whether it becomes another on the list of arsons on the city's south side won't be known for at least a few days.

Christel Jones lives next door to the house that burned. She said 507 S. Frederick has been vacant since the people renting it moved away three months ago. I asked if she was ever affected by a fire. She said yes, several years ago, in a St. Louis apartment.

It's National Fire Prevention Week. What's your fire story?

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