One dead following house fire in Sikeston

SIKESTON — One person is dead following a house fire Wednesday in Sikeston.

At around 1:20 p.m. Wednesday, officers with Sikeston Department of Public Safety’s Fire Division were dispatched to a structure fire on Francis Street in the Heckemeyer Acres, according to Capt. Derick Wheetley, fire division commander for DPS.

“When we arrived on scene, there was heavy smoke and flames,” Wheetley said. “We had a report of one subject still inside the residence. Two people were able to escape out of the house.”

Fire crews located the subject inside and were able to pull the person out, Wheetley said.

“EMS began treatment, and the subject was transported to Missouri Delta Medical Center where they were later pronounced dead,” Wheetley said.

The identity of the person is being withheld as next of kin are still being notified, he said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, and the state fire marshal has been called to investigate, Wheetley said. The house received heavy smoke damage with minimum to moderate fire damage, he said.

Assisting Sikeston DPS at the scene were Scott County Rural Fire, Miner Fire, Morehouse Fire and Oran Fire.

Heat also played a factor in fighting the active blaze, as temperatures were in the upper 90s with the heat index, Wheetley said.

Scott County Ambulance Service, in addition to ambulance services from Mississippi and New Madrid counties, were also called to the scene in the event fire fighters needed treatment. However, Wheetley said none of the firefighters sought treatment.