Fire damages historic Louisiana Avenue bed and breakfast

The Ponder House, a three-story historic home on the corner of Louisiana Avenue and William Street, was ablaze for more than an hour in Cape Girardeau Monday night. Firefighters remain on the scene.

One observer described the scene as "pretty bad" with "a lot of glass breaking and a lot of smoke."

Flames were visible on some parts of the building, a private home converted to a bed and breakfast by Cape Girardeau County Commissioner Jay Purcell.

He rushed to the scene when alerted to the blaze, but said he was waitng for firefighters to finish their work.

"I don't know. I'm trying to see what's going on," he said. "I'm just waiting."

Fire investigators are still trying to determine the cause, said assistant fire chief Mark Hasheider.

The fire is believed to have begun in the basement, Hasheider said.

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