Cause undetermined for fire that destroyed Jefferson City apartment building

A firefighter stands facing an early Saturday morning blaze consuming an apartment building at the corner of Dunklin and Mulberry streets in Jefferson City. Photo by Jeff Haldiman.

By News Tribune

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Twenty people were in need of shelter after a massive fire gutted a Jefferson City apartment building, early Saturday morning.

Photo by Jeff Haldiman

Jefferson City firefighters pour water on an apartment building ablaze at the corner of Dunklin and Mulberry streets during the 4 o'clock hour on Saturday morning.

Undetermined.

That’s what authorities have decided to list as the cause of a massive apartment building fire early Saturday morning in Jefferson City.

Fire department reports showed the blaze was called in around 4:10 a.m. at 615 Mulberry.

When crews arrived, they found heavy smoke and flames coming from the roof and upper floor of the three level structure.

There were also numerous reports of people on the top floor needing to be rescued.

Jefferson City police officers joined firefighters in getting some residents out.

Others were rescued by firefighters climbing up ladders and bringing residents through windows and down to the ground on the Dunklin Street side of the building.

“We had a female on the third floor who was wanting to throw her child down to us,” fire department Spokesman Jason Turner said. “Luckily, we got the situation under control and got her and her child out. We had three or four rescues of multiple members of families.”

"We made a very aggressive attack to get to the fire, but eventually, the roof began to suffer structure damage, so we had to pull out our crews and attack the fire from the outside," Turner added.

A second alarm was called and the oncoming shift of firefighters was called in for support, some going to the fire scene, others going to man stations around the city along with members of the Cole County Fire Protection District, who were called in via mutual aid.

Six of the seven on-call fire trucks for the city were sent to the apartment fire.

Six ambulances responded to the scene, some forming a triage area for residents of the fire near the intersection of Dunklin and Mulberry.

Ironically, on Friday morning, ambulance crews and fire department personnel went through a mass casualty drill to handle events such as what they faced Saturday morning.

“Things went seamlessly this morning,” Fire Chief Bob Rennick said. “They anticipated what needed to be done.”

Many of the residents appeared to have gotten out only with their bed clothes on. Some were holding small children. Many were crying and hugging one another, using their cellphones to call friends or relatives or just standing and watching in the street as firefighters battled the blaze.

Three people were taken to local hospitals for treatment of smoke inhalation.

Damage from the fire is estimated at $500,000.

“There are too many factors to be sorted out right now to nail down a particular cause,” said Rennick “We’re still trying to talk with all parties involved. There were surveillance cameras at the property and those could help in the investigation.”

Rennick did say investigators agreed the fire started on a third floor landing in front of two apartments in the rear of the structure.

“The fire was so intense, it weakened walls and we couldn’t use the stairway to get to the third floor,” he said.

The Red Cross secured hotel rooms for those displaced by the fire and will be assisting them in trying to get their lives back on track.

Officials said they helped two families who had six members, one family with four members, one with three members, and one single adult.

If you want to help the families, the Red Cross does accept monetary donations.

To donate call 635-1132.

More like this story

joytotheworld 1 year, 6 months ago

Glad this hole is GONE !

justine176 1 year, 6 months ago

An I'll be glad when spoiled, stuck-up people like yourself is gone as well. Have some respect for the people that lost their only home.

JCLifer 1 year, 6 months ago

Agree. The city never enforced any codes there, and allowed the landlord to become a slumlord. Those apartments were full of crack and meth-heads. The sooner the other building burns, the better off this town will be. Shame on the city for letting this stuff decline, and not holding all these slumlords to the building codes.

carolyn 1 year, 6 months ago

If this building was anything like the one just like it next door, it was in extremely bad shape. I went to the heating and cooling office of the business in the next building and I was actually scared to be in there. I've never had that experience anywhere in Jeff. City before. I don't think I would have children living there. I feel bad for people that cannot afford something a little better.

joytotheworld 1 year, 6 months ago

Well, and you have the kind of tenants that live there so you can't rent to anyone that is "good" people. You pretty much have to live the thug life to even live there.

momma34 1 year, 6 months ago

Joytotheworld.... your name is as hypocritical as you... You dont have to live the thug life to live over there I lived there for a year and im not a thug... just a good girl that fell in a hard time....i am lucky

hystericallyMad 1 year, 6 months ago

While I too am glad to see that this home is no longer, it is for different reasons. My reasoning is the lack of upkeep that the landlords (edit: slumlords) perform. If this property was located anywhere else, there surely would be lights replace to light the area well for the tenants at the minimum, not to mention upkeep of heating and cooling units, appliances, electrical, etc. Here is a good question that you may be able to answer. Was the building up to code? Or better. I bet this was a section 8 approved housing. Did it meet the standards to receive these government subsidies? Obviously well enough to burn!

What we all should really be thinking about is not ethnicity as you describe with "thug life". What should be of concern is "family". Violence, drugs, or the lack thereof should not play a factor in the sympathy and compassion our community should show. Regardless, there are families that are displaced due to a fire. Some are families with children.

Let me ask you something. Is it the children's fault that their families no longer have a home? Is it the children's fault that they are being raised in these conditions? My answer, absolutely not. So this 'thug life' you mention is exactly that. A way of life. Just because you do not agree with this particular lifestyle doesn't mean you have to be heartless.

I bet if you offered any one of those mothers that lost their home your residence in trade for giving up the "thug life" they would oblige graciously. Some people just are not presented with the opportunity to lead what you would deem "the good life" with "good" people. Some of these people (those children without homes now) are raised in this condition and have no choice in the matter.

While you are entitled to your opinion, it is a prime example of what is wrong with our society. I wish you the best and pray that you are never in a situation where you must choose to raise your children in a slum due to inequalities that our society has come to accept as ‘reasonable conditions’ for those living the “thug life”.

msadto 1 year, 6 months ago

Actually the apartments were just bought and had begun a transition to clean the place up. I'm sorry you were unsatisfied with the old landlords.

3blindmice 1 year, 6 months ago

thought those three apartment building were owned by glen rohrbach of california, mo for a number of years now. are you saying the rohrbach's no longer own those buildings? and what were the improvements. I used to use the greenway regularly up to a month ago and passed those buildings almost everyday. didn't ever really see any type of improvements

JCLifer 1 year, 6 months ago

You don't have to live the thug life if you are poor. i have many friends who are poor, but they are very good people and very good parents.

msadto 1 year, 6 months ago

I'm sure the people who lost their homes and everything else aren't as glad as you.

momma34 1 year, 6 months ago

I agree With you... this is so sad, This place was someones home... regardless... and not everyone that lives over there is into the thug life its just a place to live while u get your stuff straightened out.. a transistion home for most... but I know a woman that has lived in THIS building for 10 years! She Lost Everything... My heart goes out to the families and I am thankful that no one was lost.

justine176 1 year, 6 months ago

I think a lot of you people need to get a life. And start having some respect to the people that lost a home. I'm only 17 and I know a lot better than you people. I have respect. So the people that are so glad the apartments are down are just the snobby, stuck-up people in this society that most people wish were "gone." Wish your guys house burned down right before the worst winter. Hmm people now a days....it's a shame.

linoge 1 year, 6 months ago

I feel sad for the families who lost their posessions and their place to live, especially with winter almost here. Of course, I felt sad driving past that monument to human misery long before it caught fire. My heart especially went out to the children who, by accident of birth and through no fault of their own, had to live there. Imagine being a child and living in that festering hole with no lawn, no swingset, no pets and no hope. Dear God! Also, where do these families go now? Do the Slum Lords of Jefferson City have some sort of "community chest fund" which can be used to assist them or will the Salvation Army be stuck with the bill? I can tell you that with our current economy, most charities are already stretched to the limit. Wherever these folks end up, it cannot be a whole lot worse than where they were. I would like to see the Newstribune publish the name(s) of the owners of this property (not just the name of their realty company either). Since the flames of this fire have made these properties into front page news, why not use this opportunity to show the public who profits most from human misery in our Captiol City?

JCLifer 1 year, 6 months ago

AMEN!

Also publish the names of the code enforcement directors over the past 20 years who turn a blind eye toward all these slumlords.

There are several slumlord apartments along Dunklin Street. Some across from the JCPS administration offices. I have been in many apartments in this city that are not fit for animals to live in.

There are lots of poor people with pride who keep their stuff picked up and take care of their property. Not all poor people live like hogs. Not all poor people make excuses for living in filth, crime, and drugs.

joytotheworld 1 year, 6 months ago

" What we all should really be thinking about is not ethnicity as you describe with "thug life". "

No, I never described anything except thugs. I know white, hispanic and black thugs. As far as I know "thugs" isn't a race, so this is far from about ethnicity. I just have no tolerance for those type of people. I know the children can't choose who their parents are and I feel sorry for them. They will grow up being a part of the problem instead of a part of the solution. God Bless 'em.

eyesopen 1 year, 6 months ago

Seems that some of you posting these comments need to reflect on self and learn to have compassion. Unconditionally. "HystericallyMad" says it well, that sort of thinking is EXACTLY what is wrong with society today. It makes no difference what "type" of people lived in this building. That is irrelevant. They are still people like you and I. People that have suddenly lost everything they had and could have lost their lives. It's tragic and you should be ashamed of yourselves. Ashamed that you've jumped so quickly to such a judgmental conclusion. Unless you knew each and every one of them personally, the way i see it, you have no right to categorize everyone as "Thugs" or anything of the sort. "Those type of people", in my eyes, are people like you. Ignorant and self righteous. Perhaps the day mankind no longer relies on such inimical thinking, detesting complete strangers on the basis of, well nothing, the world could be a happier place. It's a shame, that's all i'm saying. Just my opinion. Someone will inevitably find something wrong in almost everything. So do what it is you do best and remember to have enough tolerance for two.

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