Saturday night house fire in Cape Girardeau ruled accidental

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department has determined a Saturday night apartment fire as accidental.

Battalion chief Brian Shaffer said that a four-and-a-half hour investigation that ended around noon Sunday found that the fire started in an electrical baseboard heater. It appeared the fire had been burning in the walls for some time before the flames were discovered.

Crews were called to the scene at 501 S. Middle St. around 11:55 p.m. Saturday. Upon arrival, crews saw flames coming out the rear windows on the first floor and heavy smoke coming from the entire structure.

Additional crews from Gordonville, Jackson and Scott City assisted with calls at the Cape Girardeau fire stations.

At one point, all firefighters had to leave the building and streams of water from heavy-caliber hoses were directed on the flames from outside for several minutes to control the fire. Fire crews then re-entered the building to extinguish the remaining fire.

Shaffer said one person was treated for smoke inhalation but was later released from a Cape Girardeau hospital.

The fire department said this was the second fire in the same block within one month, but both have been ruled accidental.

Pertinent address:

501 S. Middle St., Cape Girardeau, MO