HOUSE IS DAMAGED BY FIRE

A house fire Sunday night at 1427 William street was caused when a window air conditioner malfunctioned, said Cape Girardeau Fire Capt. Scott Altenthal.

"The fire was out in about two or three minutes," Altenthal said. "It was quite a big fire, but it was contained. We knocked it down real quick."

The fire was reported just after 8 p.m.. Firemen remained on the scene until 9:35 p.m. to make sure the fire did not flame up again.

The house is owned by Kathleen Ruopp. Altenthal said family members were home when the fire broke out.

"They were home and the smoke detector went off. It worked and they got out."

Members of the family also called the fire department.

Altenthal estimated that about one-fourth of the lower level of the three-story house was damaged by the fire.

"There was also quite a bit of heat damage on the second and third floors," he said. "We didn't have much water damage because we knocked the fire down so quickly."

Trucks from stations 1 and 2 responded, which is standard procedure for a building fire, Altenthal said.