Abandoned house falls on man in Bootheel town

HOMESTOWN, Mo. -- A Homestown man was killed and a child injured Saturday after becoming trapped under debris of a fallen structure in Pemiscot County.

According to the Pemiscot County Sheriff's Department, deputies responded to the Homestown community just after 6 p.m. Saturday after a residential structure collapsed to the ground, killing 43-year-old Calvin Whitaker of Homestown and injuring a 3-year-old child.

Authorities learned Whitaker was tearing down an abandoned residence when the structure collapsed on him.

Responding units from the Wardell Fire Department had to extricate Whitaker from the house, which had completely fallen to the ground, trapping him under the debris. The child received minor injuries and was flown to a hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

Agencies responding to the incident were the Wardell Fire Department, Pemiscot County Sheriff's Department and the Pemiscot County coroner's office.

Pertinent address:

Homestown, MO