Freezing precipitation gone, but Missouri still icy cold

ST. LOUIS -- The dangerous wintry mix that settled over Missouri during the weekend is gone, but bitter cold Monday forced dozens of schools to call off classes and made venturing outdoors miserable.

Frigid weather that arrived Saturday continued into the work week. Parts of the state awoke to temperatures below zero, and single-digit readings were common.

At least the forecast offered a glimmer of hope. Highs generally are expected to reach near or into the 40s starting today through the rest of the week.

Many schools called off classes Monday. The Francis Howell School District in St. Charles County said the buses wouldn't start in the cold.

Cold weather was blamed for about 40 water-main breaks across the St. Louis region since the weekend. In some cases, water poured onto streets, creating thick sheets of ice.

A St. Louis firefighter and two homeless people were recovering after a fire at an abandoned warehouse building near the Mississippi River. The fire began Sunday after the homeless people started it in bitterly cold temperatures, officials said.

Fire chief Dennis Jenkerson said the injured firefighter apparently was going into the building to rescue the trapped men. He burned his face but is expected to make a full recovery. No details were released about the injuries to the homeless people.

The remains of the structure were covered in ice from the water used to battle the blaze.