FIRE DAMAGES CARPET STORE

A fire at Sample's Floor Covering destroyed the shop's entire stock and put a family out of the carpet business.

Doyle and Cora Lee Sample, owners of Sample's Floor Covering and Bob's Pizza next door, said they might put another business in the 401 N. Clark building after it is remodeled.

"But it won't be carpet," Doyle Sample said. "We'll have to put the building back (like it was before the fire), and we might even put in another business there. But we're out of the carpet business."

The Samples had gone home for lunch when they received word around 10:45 a.m. Saturday that there was a fire at the carpet store. Doyle Sample was outside on the porch relaxing with his shoes off when Cora Lee got the message.

"I took off out of the house and nearly left him behind," Cora Lee Sample said pointing a thumb at her husband.

Cape Girardeau firefighters were dispatched at 10:54 a.m. and arrived on the scene at approximately 11 a.m. When they arrived, the structure was about 50 percent involved with the fire spreading forward from the rear of the building, said Capt. Scott Altenthal.

"We're pretty sure the fire started in the maintenance area in the rear then spread to the showroom," Altenthal said. "The showroom received heavy fire damage, and everything else including the office and maintenance area received heat and smoke damage."

The 14 Cape Girardeau firefighters who responded were able to contain the fire to the showroom within five or six minutes after arriving, Altenthal said. It took until 12:44 p.m. to completely extinguish the fire. Cape Girardeau Fire Chief Max Jauch, Capt. Bob Thompson and firefighter Sam Adams stayed at the carpet store until 1:30 p.m. investigating the cause of the fire. Their report should be completed in two or three days, Altenthal said.

Doyle Sample said they lost every carpet sample and all the office equipment. All the stock and much of their heavy equipment was damaged, he said.

"It's a total loss," he said.

Cora Lee Sample said she was alerted to the fire by one of her waitresses at Bob's Pizza. The waitress said a young boy and his mother had noticed the fire as they were walking along Clark Street, she said.

After the fire was extinguished, the Samples spent much of the remaining afternoon closing up the carpet shop in preparation for the insurance inspector's visit.

Despite the toxic fumes that can be released from burning carpet, Altenthal said no firefighters were injured while controlling the blaze.

"The fiber itself can release toxic gases," Altenthal said. "We also knew the building had carpet glue and equipment in it. We all wore breathing apparatus until the fire had been put out."