Lake Area Crews Were Fighting A House Fire—Then A Tornado Hit

GRAVOIS MILLS, Mo. — Firefighters who arrived at the scene of a house fire on Friday, April 17 managed to subdue the blaze enough to take shelter in the basement of the house, just as a tornado touched down nearby.

At 6:39 p.m., Gravois Fire Protection District crews were dispatched to a reported structure fire involving a 1-1/2-story residence with a full basement, located just north of Gravois Mills on a private lane.

A deputy with the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office arrived first, followed by a volunteer firefighter who arrived within four minutes of dispatch. They confirmed that all occupants had safely exited the residence, but the fire was rapidly progressing inside the home.

Authorities say the first engine reached the scene a few minutes later and crews worked quickly to contain and extinguish the main body of the fire.

But at approximately 7:15 p.m., as crews continued searching for hotspots, mutual aid units were released from the scene due to approaching severe weather capable of producing a tornado. The homeowner was advised to leave the area and seek shelter and was directed to respond to GFPD Station 1; however, they ultimately sought shelter at an alternate location. An ambulance was relocated to Station 1 due to safety concerns for the crew and in preparation for increased call volume.

A crew of six personnel remained on scene to continue overhaul operations and monitor for hotspots. As severe weather conditions worsened, crews were advised to prepare to take shelter. Tornado warnings were being issued across the region, and the National Weather Service would later confirm that two tornadoes touched down in the Lake area. One of them, an EF-1, would touch down north of Gravois Mills at 7:51.

Amid heavy rain and high winds, firefighters moved to the basement of the structure for safety. At that time, heavy smoke conditions remained throughout the structure, and crews were equipped with SCBAs and maintained a charged hoseline. Crews placed a ventilation fan in the basement, resulting in light smoke conditions in the basement and allowing for safe sheltering in place.

Once the storm cell passed, crews resumed operations. Then the weather-related emergency calls began rolling in.

With assistance from off-duty personnel, volunteers, and mutual aid partners, resources were mobilized to handle the increased demand. An Area Command was established at Station 1, utilizing the Sunrise Beach Fire Protection District mobile command trailer, to coordinate response efforts and assist dispatch, which was experiencing a high volume of incidents.

Crews responded to approximately 10 more weather-related incidents, including motor vehicle crashes involving downed trees, power lines down, and trees on vehicles.

"The District continues to operate with limited staffing and resources relative to the increasing call volume and complexity of incidents within our response area. Despite these challenges, personnel continue to perform at a high level, demonstrating exceptional efficiency and professionalism, as reflected in rapid response times and effective incident outcomes," the District said in a press release.

The Gravois Fire Protection District thanked their dispatch partners, the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, Co-Mo Electric, Mid-Mo Ambulance, Lake West Ambulance, Sunrise Beach Fire Protection District, Mid-County Fire Protection District, Versailles Rural Fire Protection District, all mutual aid agencies, and GFPD personnel for their continued commitment to public safety.