ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. — More than 20 firefighters and six fire trucks spent more than two hours battling a fire that engulfed a flood-damaged home in St. Charles County Monday night.
Fire officials said crews arrived on the scene in the first block of Grove Avenue off Highway B just after midnight.
They found a small, single-family home fully engulfed in flames. Crews determined the house had recently been damaged by flooding and it was vacant.
There were no residents in the house and all the utilities had been disconnected, according to officials.
Central County Fire and Rescue Assistant Chief Steve Brown said after a flood, it is not uncommon for owners to dispose of damaged property by setting it on fire. He said this is not a proper method of removal of damaged homes.
"These fires create a dangerous situation for neighbors and first responders. We would prefer that property owners work through the proper mitigation process of cleaning up after a flood," he said in a press release.
Due to the extreme damage to the home, fire investigators were unable to enter the home to determine the origin of the fire.
Central County Fire and Rescue was assisted by the St. Charles City Fire Department, Orchard Farm Fire Protection District, St. Charles County Ambulance District and St. Charles County police.