CAUSE OF HOUSE FIRE UNKNOWN

The cause of a house fire at 1127 Merriwether St., late Wednesday remains undetermined, a spokesman for the Cape Girardeau Fire Department said.

No one was injured, Capt. Paul Lufcy said.

Firefighters responded at 11:20 p.m. to the house, which was separated into four apartment units, Lufcy said. The fire started in one of the two second-floor apartments, resulting in extensive structural damage, he said.

The two first-floor apartments suffered water and smoke damage, leaving the house uninhabitable, Lufcy said.

Three of the four apartments were occupied, with one resident living in each.

Firefighters finished putting out the fire about 1 a.m., Lufcy said.

About an hour later, police arrived at the scene and arrested Marc D. Thomas, 29, who lived in Apt. 3 where the fire had started. Thomas was arrested for failure to appear in court on an assault charge.