BLAZE QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED IN HOME

Cape Girardeau firefighters quickly brought an early morning blaze under control in a house at 412 Koch.

Capt. Scott Altenthal said that at 7:41 a.m. a 911 call was placed to the Cape Girardeau police department advising them that the house was on fire.

The fire appeared to have started at an outlet in a first-floor bedroom, where sparks ignited nearby papers and clothing.

A few rooms on the first floor sustained substantial smoke and heat damage. Rooms on the second floor had slight smoke damage, Altenthal said.

The owner of the house, Willie Harris and his family, were not home at the time of the blaze.

Altenthal said that the flames were extinguished four or five minutes after firefighters arrived.