Parma fires destroy city hall, home

PARMA, Mo. -- Authorities are describing the fire which destroyed Parma's City Hall as arson. A second fire, which destroyed the home of the town's former mayor, is being called suspicious.

The Missouri Fire Marshal spent Wednesday looking at both blazes which left portions of Main Street in the small New Madrid County community in ashes. Joining him in the investigation were officers from the New Madrid County Sheriff's Department, the Missouri Highway Patrol and the Patrol's Drug and Crime Control Unit.

New Madrid County Sheriff Terry Stevens said Wednesday he received a call just after midnight of a fire at the home of Tyus Byrd. Byrd, who had served as mayor of Parma for four years, lost her re-election effort earlier this month.

In addition to Parma's Fire Department, fire personnel from Lilbourn and Malden fought the blaze at the residence. Stevens said no one was home at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported in firefighters' efforts to extinguish the blaze, that destroyed the home.

As the Lilbourn Fire Department left the site of the residential fire, just blocks away on Main Street, firefighters observed smoke coming from the small brick building which became home to the Parma City Hall several months ago.

Officers with the New Madrid County Sheriff's Department remained on the scene Wednesday afternoon at the scene of a fire which destroyed the Parma City Hall.Submitted by Jill Bock

Stevens said the fire at the city hall "was most definitely arson." He said evidence found at the crime scene indicated the blaze was purposely set.

The fire at the Byrd residence was described as suspicious by the sheriff, who would not elaborate further on what was found at the scene. Investigation, Stevens added, is continuing.