Friday morning fire destroys Kelso, Mo., home

KELSO, Mo. -- A Friday morning fire gutted a Scott County home.

At 5:11 a.m., the New Hamburg-Benton-Commerce Fire Protection District responded to a house fire on County Road 213 near Kelso, fire chief Ivan LeGrand said.

The fire reduced the house to four walls, and firefighters left the scene after five hours. Two hours later they returned in response to smoke that was coming from the basement.

The owners of the house, who LeGrand did not identify, were out of town at the time and have since been notified and returned home. The cause of the fire remains undetermined.

Five other departments responded to the call -- Scott City, Chaffee, Scott County Rural, Delta and Vanduser.

Firefighters move a hose line to a new position as the fire breaks through the garage roof at a home on County Road 213. (John Sachen)