CAPE OFFICIALS INVESTIGATE THURSDAY BLAZE AT HOUSE

Authorities are investigating a fire of suspicious origin that heavily damaged one room of a one-story, wood frame house at 1003 N. Fountain early Thursday.

Assistant Fire Chief Max Jauch said the fire call came in at 7:53 a.m., about eight minutes after the occupants of the house had left.

Jauch said when firefighters arrived less than a minute later, the southeast bedroom of the house was fully involved in flames and smoke.

Jauch said the bedroom was gutted and all contents destroyed. There was heavy smoke damage to the rest of the house.

Jauch said based on evidence recovered from the fire, police and fire department investigators were called in. He said the evidence was sent to the Southeast Missouri Regional Crime Lab in Cape Girardeau for analysis.

Authorities said the tenant of the house is Marilyn Litsey. The owner is Walter J. Wright.