House fires in two vacant buildings Friday, Saturday in Cape suspicious, uninhabitable

The following story has been updated to correct that both homes are uninhabitable.

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to back-to-back fires in two vacant homes late Friday night and early Saturday morning.

According to a media release prepared by Fire Chief Randy Morris, both fires are considered suspicious and under investigation, and both houses are uninhabitable.

The first call came in at 11:33 p.m. Friday for a structure fire at 504 S. Frederick St., according to the release. A second fire was reported at 12:17 a.m. at 1108 William St.

Searches of both homes yielded no victims, and fire crews were able to contain each fire in approximately 20 minutes.

Cape Girardeau fire crews received aid from East County Fire Protection District, Gordonville Fire Protection District, Jackson Fire Rescue, Scott City Fire Department, North County Fire Protection District, Fruitland Fire Protection District, Millersville Fire Protection District, Whitewater Fire Protection District, Delta Fire Protection District and Chaffee Fire Department.

504 S. Frederick St.

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department was dispatched for a report at 11:33 p.m. Friday of flames coming from a house at 504 S. Frederick St.

A Cape Girardeau Police Department officer arrived on-scene and confirmed flames coming from what appeared to be a vacant house.

First arriving units found fire on the rear of the home and upgraded to a working fire assignment, according to the release. The next arriving fire crews found fire had extended to the second floor.

The structure has been deemed uninhabitable by the fire department, with an estimated dollar loss of $90,000.

All searches yielded no victims, and the fire was contained in about 20 minutes.

1108 William St.

Shortly thereafter at 12:17 a.m. Saturday, dispatch reported a second fire at 1108 William St.

Mutual aid companies covering city fire stations responded to the fire on William Street, and arriving crews found a structure with "heavy smoke showing from the front and sides of the house," according to Morris' release.

Fire was also found on the back of the structure, and additional crews found the fire extended into the second floor.

The structure has been deemed uninhabitable by the Cape Girardeau Fire Department, with an estimated dollar loss of $80,000.

According to neighbors, the property had been vacant for approximately six months.

Searches of the home yielded no victims, and the fire was contained in around 20 minutes.