Cape Girardeau man suffers minor burns in house fire

A Cape Girardeau business owner received minor burn injuries from a house fire Thursday morning at 3305 Kage Road.

Cape Girardeau fire chief Rick Ennis reported gasoline fumes ignited when Shafiq Malik, owner of the Fountainbleau Lodge nursing home, was cleaning a spill in his garage. His wife, Farida Malik, who was also in the single-story ranch house, was not injured.

Cape Girardeau County Private Ambulance treated his injuries on the scene. All on-duty firefighters responded, a Jackson unit assisted and an off-duty engine company in Scott City covered the station.

Firefighters arrived on the scene at 8:07 a.m. to heavy fire in the garage and heavy smoke throughout the house, Ennis reported, and fire had moved to the attic. Firefighters engaged a water cannon to the garage and broke through the ceiling and roof to prevent the flames from spreading horizontally. The fire was brought under control within 30 minutes and the last unit cleared out at 12:10 p.m.

The garage was completely gutted, with fire damage to the attic and smoke damage throughout the house.