Arson ruled in New Madrid blaze

NEW MADRID, Mo. — Around 11:30 p.m. March 3, the New Madrid Fire Department responded to a home on St. Monica Street for a structure fire.

When the first truck arrived on scene, there were already heavy flames showing with fire coming through the front windows and the front door of the home. After several hours the fire was extinguished completely.

After fire personnel examined the scene, the Missouri Fire Marshal’s Office was contacted to investigate the cause of the fire. An arson investigator determined that the fire was the result of arson and found where an accelerant had been used to set the fire.

The police department and Missouri Fire Marshal’s Office are still investigating the incident.

In the early morning hours of March 14, the New Madrid Fire Department responded to Lilbourn to assist another agency with the search for a missing 3 year old.

Incident command had been established and New Madrid County EMA director Al Delisle was coordinating the search. At around 5:30 in the morning, the child was found by a citizen walking east of the elementary school.

The child was brought back to the command post to be examined by medical personnel before being reunited with the parents.