Prepared by Assistant Perryville Fire Chief Garrett Schott
PERRY COUNTY, MO — The Perry County Fire Department responded to a commercial structure fire at the Gilster-Mary Lee Box Plant in the early morning hours of Thursday, October 23, 2025. The initial dispatch occurred at approximately 3:28 a.m., after reports indicated smoke was visible from the facility’s exhaust vents.
Due to Perry County Rural Fire Department units already being engaged in a separate incident, a second alarm was immediately struck to secure additional personnel and equipment. Fire departments from Biehle, St. Mary, Altenburg/Frohna, Ste. Genevieve City, Chester, Ellis Grove, Steelville, and Red Bud responded to assist.
As the situation developed, a third alarm was issued to bring in further resources.
Approximately 35 Fire Fighters were on scene. Mercy Perry EMS was on scene to provide rehab.
Upon arrival, the first responding crew found smoke emanating from the structure. Firefighters made forced entry and encountered heavy smoke conditions inside.
The actual fire was discovered to be smoldering cardboard near a conveyor belt, which had been largely contained by the building’s automatic sprinkler system.
Crews worked to vent the roof and utilized ventilation fans to remove smoke from the interior.
Gilster-Mary Lee personnel assisted at the scene by using company equipment to remove burned materials from the facility. At the time of the incident, the building was unoccupied, and no injuries were reported.
The Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office has been called to investigate the cause of the fire. The estimated value of the loss is undetermined at this time.
“We appreciate the swift and coordinated efforts of all responding departments and the assistance of Gilster-Mary Lee personnel,” said Asst Chief Garrett Schott. “Thanks to the building’s sprinkler system and the teamwork of our mutual aid partners, the fire was contained quickly, preventing more extensive damage.”