WOMAN ESCAPES HOUSE FIRE

A Cape Girardeau woman who was asleep in the basement of her home when it caught fire Wednesday afternoon escaped through a basement door without injury.

The living room of the house, at 1240 S. Sprigg, was gutted by the flames, Cape Girardeau fire marshal and battalion chief Tom Hinkebein said. The rest of the house received extensive smoke and heat damage. Many items in adjoining rooms were discolored and melted.

No cause has been determined, although residents of the home speculated that it began in a window air conditioner in the living room. Hinkebein said it appeared the fire began in the living room.

Sharlene Webb was asleep in her downstairs bedroom when she was alerted to the fire by her boyfriend's nephew, James Merriweather.

Webb had been awakened a short time before the fire by Merriweather, who also lived in the house and wanted her to let him in. After she had let him in, she went back to her bedroom and went to sleep.

Merriweather said he had been in the house just a short time. When he came out of the restroom, he saw that the living room was engulfed in flames. He ran out the back door and shouted to Webb.

Webb woke up but could not exit up the stairs because of the thick smoke. She then exited the house through the basement door.