Two houses burned in the Lake area over the past week, leaving two families homeless.
In both fires, freezing cold temperatures increased firefighter difficulty. The cold threatened to freeze trucks, wore down firefighters quicker, and froze surfaces, making ground walking hazardous. “We circulated the water in the tankers to keep it from freezing,” Rocky Mount Fire Protection District (RMFPD) Fire Chief Kevin Hurtibise said.
The first fire, on Saturday, Dec. 30 brought crews from RMFPD at 6:40 p.m. to 30019 Cool Valley Drive in Rocky Mount.
Mutual aid was requested, and provided by, the Lake Ozark and Moreau Fire Departments. The Moreau Fire Department was cancelled in route.
According to RMFPD Fire Chief Kevin Hurtibise, the homeowners were not home at the time of the fire.
The first arriving fire units found smoke coming from the house. Firefighters commenced an attack were able to quickly extinguish the fire.
There were no injuries. There was, however, extensive damage to a furnace room, a bedroom and the floor area around the furnace. According to Chief Hurtibise, the home is unlivable and the fire is being ruled as accidental, at this time. It is believed that the fire started near the furnace.
After checking for hot spots and extensions and conducting overhaul, the firefighters left the scene at 8:45 p.m.
Ten firefighters and five apparatus responded.
The Rocky Mount Fire Protection District responded to another emergency fire call to a residence at 11:04 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 2, at 285 Walnut Grove Road in Eldon.
According to Chief Hurtibise, arriving units found smoke and flames coming from one end of the home.
RMFPD called for mutual aid, with Lake Ozark, Eldon and Osage Beach Fire Protection Districts responding.
The firefighters, again, were able to quickly extinguished the fire. They remained on the scene until 2:07 p.m. checking for extensions and performing overhaul.
There were no injuries.
"The homeowners were traveling back from Florida at the time of the fire,” Chief Hurtibise said. "Their son had opened the house and turned the heat on, and the homeowners arrived home to find firefighters battling the blaze."
There was extensive damage to a bedroom and two bathrooms on the first floor, and to another bedroom, and utility room in the basement. “The won’t be able to live in the home until it is repaired,” Chief Hurtibise said.
At this time, the fire is being ruled as accidental and is believed to have started in the area where the ductwork from an outside wood stove entered the structure.
Five apparatus and 12 personnel responded to this fire.
Chief Hurtibise reminds citizens in cold weather conditions to keep a close eye on all heating equipment, and do not leave any wood burning heating equipment unattended.
