Ellis Street fire may have been caused by arson, say Cape Girardeau police

Arson was suspected in a late Sunday night fire that gutted a vacant Cape Girardeau home.

Firefighters were dispatched to 321 S. Ellis St. at 10:53 p.m. Sunday for a box alarm, fire battalion chief Bob Kembel said.

Anywhere between $30,000 and $50,000 in damage was caused by the fire to the 1.5-story home, Kembel said.

The blaze was classified as an arson, and police were investigating the cause, according to police Sgt. Barry Hovis. He could not immediately provide additional information on the investigation, including what led officers to suspect arson.

The fire appeared to have started in the basement, according to Kembel.

Firefighters arrived at the blaze to find it engulfing about 25 percent of the home, a news release from the fire department stated.

The fire was controlled and extinguished by 12:49 a.m. Monday, Kembel said.

Jackson and Scott City fire departments assisted with the fire, the release stated. There were no injuries.

Heavy fire, heat and smoke damage was evident throughout the home.

The back side of the home was charred black with a gaping hole on the wall near the roof. All of the windows on the top floor were out, and a hole in the roof could be seen.