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COLUMBIA — A fire that heavily damaged a Columbia home Wednesday morning was the latest setback for the family that lived there.
The fire, which investigators think was intentionally set, caused an estimated $150,000 in damage to the house of Samantha Baker Fitzmorris at 2107 Dickinson Court, near Brown School and Oakland Gravel roads in northeast Columbia.
- Fire damage extends to the exterior of a house on Dickinson Court from where Columbia fire officials think the fire originated. Columbia Fire Department officials said damages are estimated to be $150,000.
John Baker, Fitzmorris' father, said his daughter left Tuesday for Colorado Springs, Colo., to visit friends. Her son, Joshua, 5, and daughter, Mykenzee, 3, were in Alabama visiting their late father’s family, Baker said this morning at the scene.
Fancy, the Fitzmorrises' pit bull, died in the garage of smoke inhalation.
Fitzmorris is the widow of Steven Fitzmorris. Baker said Steven Fitzmorris died in August 2008 in Baghdad while serving in the Army.
Samantha Baker Fitzmorris is a Columbia native and an alumna of Hickman High School, Baker said.
Capt. Eric Hartman of the Columbia Fire Department said there were “significant indications that the house was burglarized.”
Baker said a flat-screen television had been ripped from the wall of his daughter's bedroom.
Police spokeswoman Jessie Haden said the fire was reported at about 4 a.m. by a police officer. Six fire trucks, an ambulance and 20 firefighters responded.
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Someone please arrest this ingnorant woman for animal abuse - going on vacation and leaving her dog in the garage? Unacceptable.
The information regarding how the dog was being cared for along with more will be in an upcoming article on the columbiamissourian.com
She did not go on vacation and leave the dog in the garage. John was taking care of the dog at the house. Do not comment when you do not have the facts.