Lighted candle to blame for fatal fire in Morehouse

MOREHOUSE, Mo. — A lighted candle used in a power outage is to blame for a fatal house fire early Monday, May 27 in Morehouse.

At approximately 4 a.m. Monday, New Madrid County sheriff’s deputies, Morehouse and Sikeston Fire personnel responded to the 500 block of East Pine Street in Morehouse in reference to a residential fire with an occupant still inside, according to New Madrid County Sheriff’s Department.

“The fatal blaze broke out at a single-family home shortly before 4 a.m.,” the Sheriff’s Department said in a social media post early Monday. “When crews arrived, they reported smoke coming from two sides of the house. Firefighters entered the property and discovered a woman on the floor of the main bedroom. She was pronounced dead at the scene by the New Madrid County coroner.”

The fire was determined to have been started in a bedroom at the rear of the house by an unattended candle used for lighting while the power was out, the department said.

“We would like to thank the Morehouse Fire Department, Sikeston Department of Public Safety and the Missouri Fire Marshals Office,” the Sheriff’s Department said.