Dog dies in Saturday house fire in Perryville

A weekend fire caused extensive damage to a Perryville, Missouri, home. No one was there at the time of the fire, but a family dog perished, said Bill Jones, assistant chief of the Perryville Police Department.

The fire at 618 W. St. Francois St. was called in at 7:25 p.m. Saturday by a neighbor, Jones said. The neighbor said there was black smoke coming out of the upstairs attic vents of the one-and-a-half story home, he said.

Jones said there were two dogs in the house. One of the dogs was rescued and treated at the scene by a member of the Perryville Fire Department, who also is a veterinary technician, he said. But the other dog died.

The home was being rented.

The cause of the blaze appears to be something unintentionally left cooking on the stove, Jones said.

"There was extensive damage to the house and it's quite possible that the insurance company will total that house," Jones said. "You really can't tell it from the outside, but certainly the damage inside was extensive."

He added that the fire had a "good head start" before the neighbor discovered it.

The Perryville Fire Department got mutual aid from the Biehle Fire Department, Jones said. Engines were back at the station by 10:27 p.m., he said.

Pertinent address:

618 W. St. Francois St., Perryville, Mo.