Fire destroys Oregon home
by St. Joseph News-Press
Monday, January 12, 2009

OREGON, Mo. — Fire destroyed a state worker’s two-story frame home Sunday in Oregon.

The Holt County Southern Fire Protection District received an emergency call and responded to the scene at about 10:15 a.m. Sunday, said Troy Cotton, the volunteer fire department chief. The fire started in the wall behind a pellet stove and with no fire stops in the walls spread to the attic and second floor, the chief said.

“We fought the fire for four hours and a couple of times thought it was about out,” Mr. Cotton said.

When it got into the space between a false ceiling on the first floor it rapidly spread and fire fighters lost the battle, Mr. Cotton said. Fireman remained on the scene until 5 p.m. putting out hot spots, he said.

The chief used a mutual aid pact with Mound City to get additional assistance. The house belonged to Darrell Benedict, a Missouri Department of Transportation employee, no one was injured in the fire.St. Joseph News-Press

OREGON, Mo. — Fire destroyed a state worker’s two-story frame home Sunday in Oregon.

The Holt County Southern Fire Protection District received an emergency call and responded to the scene at about 10:15 a.m. Sunday, said Troy Cotton, the volunteer fire department chief. The fire started in the wall behind a pellet stove and with no fire stops in the walls spread to the attic and second floor, the chief said.

“We fought the fire for four hours and a couple of times thought it was about out,” Mr. Cotton said.

When it got into the space between a false ceiling on the first floor it rapidly spread and fire fighters lost the battle, Mr. Cotton said. Fireman remained on the scene until 5 p.m. putting out hot spots, he said.

The chief used a mutual aid pact with Mound City to get additional assistance. The house belonged to Darrell Benedict, a Missouri Department of Transportation employee, no one was injured in the fire.