Cape firefighters rescue man from flood-surrounded home

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department rescued a man and his dog from his Bollinger County home after it was surrounded by floodwaters about 1 p.m. Monday.

The man, in his late 30s, lives off County Road 616, which had large sections covered by floodwaters, Cape Girardeau Fire Capt. Lucas Simmons said.

Firefighters used inflatable boats to go 1 1/2 miles along the flooded road, and they were able to rescue the resident, his dog and some of his possessions from the mobile home and get them to dry land.

Simmons said the man, who suffers from a physical disability, was new to the area and did not realize how fast waters would rise.

He was the only resident on the road who had not evacuated, Simmons said.

Simmons said the man was planning to stay with relatives in the Dexter, Missouri, area.

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department was just one of several agencies that responded, including the Zalma Fire Department and Missouri State Highway Patrol's Water Rescue Team.

Simmons said both departments were on standby in case debris blocked Cape Girardeau Fire Department's boat motors or punctured the inflatable boat.

bkleine@semissourian.com

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