Fire destroys house, family escapes without injury

A fire heavily damaged a house Sunday in Cape Girardeau County, but the family was able to escape without injury, a fire official said Monday.

Gordonville Fire Protection District assistant chief Steve Corzine said the home “is pretty much a total loss.”

The blaze at a house on South Forester Street in the Hillcrest Manor subdivision on Route K was reported at 11:58 p.m.

When firefighters arrived on the scene, they found an attached garage on fire. The blaze spread through the attic of the one-story, brick, ranch structure and “erupted into the rest of the house, Corzine said.

Fire officials are unsure how the fire started, but Corzine said it was not suspicious.

The house had a wood-burning fireplace in the living room. The back of the fireplace was located in the garage, Corzine said.

Firefighters were on the scene for about three hours, he said.

Gordonville firefighters received assistance from the Cape Girardeau, Delta, Fruitland, Whitewater and Millersville departments.