Child dies in Morehouse fire

MOREHOUSE, Mo. -- Firefighters spent most of Wednesday morning battling a fatal fire in Morehouse, a blaze that demolished the house and left one child dead.

Two-year-old Clayton Meeks died in the fire, said New Madrid County Sheriff Terry Stevens.

Clayton and his 4-year-old sister had been sleeping on the floor in the living room of their Locust Street residence when the fire started.

Their mother had gone out for the evening and left the children with friends of the family, a man and a woman who had offered to baby-sit, Stevens said.

It is believed that the fire began in the living room around 4:30 a.m., he said. Awakened by the little girl's screams, the man ran into the living room, scooped her up and carried her to safety before running back in to retrieve Clayton. Because the fire had spread so quickly, he was unable to get to the boy and suffered second-degree burns to his back.

The woman escaped by breaking a window in the rear of the house, Stevens said.

All three survivors of the fire were taken to a hospital, treated and released, he said.

Emergency responders discovered Clayton's body on the living room floor, Stevens said.

An autopsy will be performed today, but smoke inhalation appeared to have caused his death, Stevens said.

The boy's mother learned of the fire almost immediately and arrived at the scene shortly after emergency personnel, Stevens said.

The structure was fully involved, and only the frame remained standing after firefighters squelched the flames.

"It was gutted," Stevens said.

The state fire marshal's office continues to investigate the cause of the fire, and investigators were still sifting through debris at the scene Wednesday afternoon.

The cause was thought to be electrical, Stevens said.

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 245