Unidentified man dies from fire in Cape apartment

A working smoke detector might have saved the life of a Cape Girardeau man who perished in an apartment fire Wednesday evening, firefighters said.

Cape Girardeau battalion chief Tom Hinkebein said neighbors at 604 Boxwood Drive were alerted about the fire when they heard a smoke detector go off in the hallway of the four-unit, two-story building. People who lived in the apartment directly beneath the victim said that although they heard him moving around in his apartment before the fire broke out, they did not hear his smoke detector.

Cape Girardeau County Coroner John Clifton said that authorities are still trying to identify the victim, who was the only occupant of the apartment. Clifton said the man appeared to be in his 30s. An autopsy is expected to be performed today to determine the cause of death.

Firefighters received the call at 5:56 p.m. Wednesday. Hinkebein said the fire started in the bedroom, which is where they found the man. The fire was extinguished within minutes, he said.

The apartment across from the victim's residence suffered heat and smoke damage when fire swept through doors to both apartments that had been left open, Hinkebein said. No one else was injured.

The state fire marshal was called to assist the Cape Girardeau fire marshal in investigating the fire. Hinkebein said the fire does not appear to be of suspicious origin.