Boone County fires spark within hours of each other

COLUMBIA — The Boone County Fire Protection District responded to two residential structure fires Saturday morning.

County firefighters first responded to a fire at 3639 Old Ridge Road just before 1 a.m. Saturday. According to a Fire District news release, the 911 caller was a neighbor who reported seeing flames from the roof and said that the house was vacant and for sale.

The fire was extinguished within 30 minutes.

There were no reported injuries, but damage to the residence was extensive. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to the news release.

Twenty-five county firefighters and five firetrucks remained on the scene until 4 a.m., extinguishing hot spots and performing overhaul operations.

County fire fighters went to 1351 W. Akeman Bridge Road at about  9 a.m. because the resident was thawing pipes in the basement with a torch and reported smelling smoke. Firefighters found some charring on a floor joist and extinguished the embers. They then checked the area with thermal imaging camera and found no other sign of fire.

Just before 11 a.m. firefighters were called back, when a passerby called 911 and reported seeing flames coming from the east side of the residence and the roof.

Twenty county firefighters and nine firetrucks remained on the scene for nearly four hours. According to the release, there was no one home at the time of the fire. Two dogs and a cat died. The house was a total loss, the release said.

The fire remains under investigation with the state fire marshal's office.