House fire blamed on candle

A hanging candle left burning in the hallway of an apartment at 915 College Hill started a fire early Monday morning that caused heavy heat damage and moderate fire and smoke damage to the bathroom, bedroom, living room and closet of the apartment.

According to the Cape Girardeau Fire Department, the fire broke out around 2:43 a.m. in an apartment occupied by Christine Spence and Erica Vandergraff.

Firefighters assisted the occupants and residents of two other apartments in the floor above -- Matt Elder and Jennifer Layton -- in evacuating the house. The female occupant of a fourth apartment had left the building.

The residents came through a street side window and climbed down an exterior ladder, and were assisted by firefighters who had placed a ladder on the front porch roof.

No one was injured. Damage was moderate and estimated at $15,000. The owner of the building is June Fisher.