BUILDING DESTROYED BY FIRE SUNDAY

In the hours after midnight Sunday flames shot from the roof of a building used by the Columbia Construction Corp., near Interstate 55 and the new Highway 74 overpass.

"The flames looked like a crown on the top of the building," said Roger English, assistant fire chief from the Gordonville Fire District.

Six fire departments worked together to bring the flames under control, demonstrating how mutual aid works, said English.

The building, used by Columbia Construction Corp. to finish trim work for motels, had been in use for about two years.

On Sunday, Martin Jansen, president of Columbia Construction, praised the work of the fire departments.

"They did a super job," Jansen said. "We appreciate their efforts to keep it under control."

The building had been full of lumber, wood stain and lacquers, adding to the difficulty of fighting the fire, English said.

Assisting Gordonville firefighters were fire departments from Cape Girardeau, Scott City, Delta, Millersville and East Cape Girardeau County.

The nearest fire hydrant was more than 1 1/2 miles away. Tanker trucks brought water to the fire using a rotating system. At the height of the fire, seven trucks brought in water. Thousands of gallons were used.

The worst of the fire was brought under control in about 45 minutes, but spot fires and flare-ups continued until about 5:30 a.m., English said.

On Sunday afternoon, although the flames had been out for several hours, firefighters from the Gordonville stayed at the scene. One fire truck waited in the muddy parking lot while inspectors from the state fire marshal's office and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms searched through the rubble.

Steel supports were bent, and the roof buckled in the intense heat of the fire. Charred lumber, pushed aside by firefighters, lay on the ground. A large air conditioner, which had been on the roof, was lowered to the ground Sunday by a boom truck.

Butch Amann, fire inspector with the state fire marshal's office, said the fire apparently started on a second-floor mezzanine level where stains and lacquers were stored.

"We are not finding anything unusual at this time," Amann said. "But because of the extent of the damage, we will have to say the cause is undetermined at this time."

English said the fire proved the benefits of different departments working together.

"We have a good working relationship," he said. "And fighting fires has gotten to be a real cooperative effort. Fire departments in Cape Girardeau, Bollinger and Scott County all work together."