STE GENEVIEVE — One person died Saturday night when a home on Highway 61 near Route A burst into flames.
According to a news release, the victim was an adult male. His identity has not been disclosed.
The Zell, Bloomsdale, Weingarten and Ste. Genevieve Fire Departments were called to the scene of the residential fire just before 11 p.m. Saturday.
First responders reported heavy fire coming from the structure, which appeared to be a wood frame house.
The Ste Genevieve County Ambulance District and the Ste. Genevieve County Sheriffs Department also responded to the fire.
The Zell fire chief arrived on the scene within five minutes of the initial dispatch to find the single story residence with heavy fire throughout the building.
At the time of arrival it was unknown if all occupants had exited the building. Crews attempted to make an interior attack and search but were unable to due to the amount of fire throughout the building.
Once the fire was extinguished an adult male was located deceased inside of the residence.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Missouri State Fire Marshals Office.
The fire was caught on a nearby Ring camera. The video appears to show the blaze starting with an explosion which immediately engulfed the home.
This still photo was snapped by Isabella Neel, a passenger in a passing car. She said, “We were driving home and I happened to see it out of the passenger window and I told (the driver) ‘that house is on fire’. So she immediately turned around and called 911. The flames were already coming out of the roof.”