Two rescued during blaze, including firefighter

Two people were injured during a fire Monday night in Cape Girardeau, and a firefighter had to be rescued as well.

About 8:30 p.m., Cape Girardeau firefighters responded to a call of a structure fire at 389 Country Club Drive in Cape Girardeau.

Battalion Chief Fred Vincel said one victim was rescued from the house and taken by ambulance to a hospital. Authorities would not release the victim's identity, and the extent of the person's injuries had not been determined.

While trying to extinguishing the fire, one of the firefighters had to be rescued.

"We had one firefighter fall through the floor [into the basement]," he said. "But we were able to rescue that firefighter. ... He has no apparent injuries."

A Cape Girardeau firefighter gives oxygen to one of two dogs that were rescued from a house fire Monday night at 389 Country Club Drive in Cape Girardeau. (Fred Lynch)

A department report late Monday said another firefighter was injured by falling debris and received treatment at a hospital.

Two dogs that were rescued from the burning house were given oxygen by a firefighter at the scene.

Vincel said the extent of the damage had not been assessed yet, but it was severe.

"There was enough fire damage to burn a hole in the first-story floor," Vincel said.

He also said damage of that sort was consistent with a fire would have started in the basement of the one-story house, but said the cause and circumstances of the blaze had not been determined.

"We've brought our own investigators in, and obviously we've contacted the state fire marshal's office," Vincel said.

tgraef@semissourian.com

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