'Odd' fire damages Cape apartment building

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department is investigating an early morning fire in an apartment building on William Street that battalion chief Mark Hasheider described as "odd."

Firefighters responded to a 911 call at 5:45 a.m. Wednesday from residents living in the upstairs of a four-unit apartment building at 921 William St.

When crews arrived on the scene, there was moderate smoke coming from the building, and firefighters located a still-smoldering mattress in a downstairs basement apartment.

Residents of the two upstairs apartments were the only ones home at the time of the incident and made it out of the building safely, Hasheider said.

What was odd, Hasheider said, was that the occupant of the apartment containing the smoldering mattress could not be located, and firefighters found the mattress in a hallway of the apartment.

Damage from the fire was not major, Hasheider said. Contents of the basement apartment sustained smoke damage and the wall near the mattress sustained fire damage.

The cause of the fire has not been determined, and Hasheider said the department will continue to investigate the incident since the occupant of the apartment seems to have disappeared.

Pertinent address:

921 William St., Cape Girardeau, MO