KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- The Kirksville Fire Department responded to a house fire at 407 E. Pierce St. around 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The fire broke out in a second floor bedroom.
There are several Truman State University students renting the home, and there were six people in the residence at the time of the fire. The victims said firefighters responded within minutes. The victims said they smelled smoke before the smoke detectors went off.
"We all started smelling smoke so we checked the kitchen to make sure nothing was on fire, opened up the cabinets and smoke fell out," said Emily Schepers, whose bedroom was engulfed in flames. She was downstairs at the time.
"One of our roommates and her mom were upstairs moving in and she came running downstairs and was like everyone needs to get out of the house. So we ran out of the house. "
Kirksville Fire Chief Randy Behrens said the fire was electrical in nature.
"There was an air conditioner, a fan, and a laptop computer plugged into one circuit," said Behrens. "That circuit shorted out and I believe it heated up and caused the fire right there in the corner of the bedroom."
The state fire marshal was called on scene to help investigate the fire. Behrens said it took about an hour to put out the hot spots. There is smoke damage throughout the house, and water damage on the first floor.
The American Red Cross has provided assistance to the victims.
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