WENTZVILLE—The Missouri State Fire Marshal is working with investigators to determine the cause of a fire that killed one person in Wentzville.
Wentzville Fire Chief Steve Mosher said a passerby called 911 at 12:45 a.m. Monday after seeing smoke and flames at a home on Lucille street in the Wentzville Mobile Manor Community. As fire crews approached they could see glowing in the windows, said the chief.
Immediately, firefighters “went into extra effort facing heavy fire,” said Mosher. “Crews did an amazing job, listening to how much was involved to begin with.”
Firefighters took control of the fire quickly and found a man, believed to be in his sixties, deceased. As of this morning, they were still trying to reach next of kin. The adjacent homes and other buildings did not suffer damage thanks to the swift effort of the firefighters.
Investigators do not believe the fire to be suspicious as of now.
Unsure if the detectors in the home were in working order, Chief Mosher has a message for homeowners, “In an older community, please be sure that you have working smoke detectors.” He noted older community smoke detectors frequently rely solely on battery power, whereas modern homes typically are hard-wired with battery backup.