Fire destroys Cape Girardeau County home

Firefighters responded to a call of a house fire on Cape Girardeau County Road 651 on Thursday night, and a fire chief said the house is a total loss.

Dwayne Kirchhoff, East County Fire Protection District chief, said firefighters were on the scene all night after receiving the call just after 9:30 p.m. While they still are investigating what caused the fire, he said it was a flaw in the house's design that allowed the fire to spread so quickly.

"The design of the house, it was built like a chimney, so it didn't take long for it to travel through the attic," Kirchhoff said. "That led to the roof collapse."

The owner of the house also had a nearby pond. Firefighters ran 600 feet of hose from the firetruck to the pond to help douse the flames, which Kirchhoff said was "very convenient."

He said no one was injured in the fire and buildings surrounding the house were not damaged.

Pertinent address:

County Road 651, Cape Girardeau, Mo.