Menu
Sikeston man faces charges in residential fire
SIKESTON — A Sikeston man faces felony charges of knowingly burning or exploding along with property damage for his alleged involvement in a residential fire late last month.
Joe Louis Applewhite, 60, of Sikeston is charged with one count of the felony “knowingly burning or exploding” and three counts of felony first-degree property damage occurring on June 29, according to online court records.
At 8:30 a.m. June 29, Sikeston Department of Public Safety Communications Division received multiple emergency 911 calls for a residence on fire in the 500 block of Coleman Avenue in Sikeston, according to the probable cause statement by Detective Benjamin Quick with Sikeston DPS. Sikeston DPS Patrol Division officers along with multiple fire division apparatus and crews responded to the scene.
Upon arrival, Quick said officers located the residence which was actively on fire. Quick said in his statement crews noticed the property had a large fence in the backyard containing an overwhelming amount of articles which were completely overtaking the property and leaving only small pathways to walk and maneuver through the property.
Officers reported the majority of the fire was in the backyard and on the rear (east side) of the residence along with a shed in the backyard completely engulfed with fire, Quick said.
Crews began fighting the fire; however, their efforts did not faze the roaring flames as the fire only grew and became uncontrollable and uncontainable for the crews on scene, Quick said in his statement.
He said the decision was made on scene by the fire commander, due to the massive amount of fire to make an “all-call” for Sikeston DPS personnel along with mutual aid additional fire departments from the surrounding area.
Responding with personnel, fire apparatus and equipment were Scott County Rural Fire Protection District, Morehouse Fire Department, Miner Fire Department, Oran Fire Department, Charleston Department of Public Safety as well as South Scott County Ambulance Service who conducted rehab for the fire personnel working in the extreme heat along with the active fire, according to Quick.
“Fire crews fought this overwhelming fire for more than a total of six hours before gaining control of the fire, stopping further damages and putting the fire out,” Quick said in his statement.
Following an investigation, detectives spoke with family members who said they were inside the residence when Applewhite went outside and set a fire in the backyard and left the residence, leaving the fire un attendance, according to Quick’s probable cause statement.
According to the probable cause statement, in addition to the property, the uncontrolled fire burned a utility pole along with multiple hundred feet of overhead power lines as well as cable and fire lines damaging the power, cable and fiber lines and caused the power to be shut off to multiple residences in the area.The estimated cost of these repairs was $2,800.
In addition to these damages, the next door residence sustained severe smoke damage throughout, and repairs were expected to far exceed $750, according to Quick’s statement.
Applewhite was subsequently arrested, and during his arraignment on July 1, he entered a plea of not guilty. A bond appearance hearing was sccheduled for Tuesday, July 9 before Judge Amanda Oesch in Scott County.