Updated: Firefighters contain blaze to upstairs apartment on Sprigg St.

Cape Girardeau firefighters battled a large fire on 2 p.m. on Tuesday at 238 S. Sprigg St at the intersection of Good Hope Street.

Orange flames spilled out of the north end of the second floor windows, clearing the brick roof top. A cloud of dust-colored smoke billowed out of south facing windows across the intersection of Good Hope. It took firefighters 20 minutes to gain control of the fire, fire chief Rick Ennis said. Occupants of the building were outside as fire fighters worked.

Shaleia Payne lived in the northeast apartment where the fire appeared to have started. She was coming back to open up her place when she found out it was on fire and she was led out of the building. She said she was coming back after being gone for two weeks because she had been with her sister in the hospital.

Another resident, who did not want to give her name, was inside when her apartment started to fill with smoke and she left right as she started to choke. She said she was preparing to move out of her apartment but she believes many of her belongings might have smoke damage, including television, futons, and beds.

Ennis said the fire was contained to just one of the apartments but there was smoke in that building and an abutting building to the east. Firefigthers were inside clearing blackened debris at 3 p.m., throwing some of it outside. The fire had spread to the attic, Ennis said. An Ameren employee adjusted a nearby power line on the scene. They were checking in the bottom part of the building, a former tax office, making sure the fire or smoke did not spread.

Ennis said there is no known cause of the fire as of Tuesday afternoon.

Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Scott City and Sikeston departments responded to the fire.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address: 238 S. Sprigg St., Cape Girardeau, MO