Chris Silkwood has lived in the house for 19 years. Silkwood says he got a call at work nearby shortly before 10am. It was his wife telling him his house was on fire.
“My wife got up and noticed that a breaker was tripped,” Silkwood said.
“So, she went and tripped it back on, sat down, smelled smoke. She got up. Smoke filled the bedroom, so she got up, smoke filled the bedroom. So she took off, grabbed the phone, called 9-1-1, woke the boy up, and they both went outside.”
After she called him at work, Silkwood says she went back into the house.
One of their pet cats bolted out the door right away, and she grabbed two more. Three of their cats perished.
St Joseph Fire Department Battalion Chief Ben Bangerter says a fire crew happened to be in the neighborhood getting fuel when they spotted smoke.
The blaze was mainly confined to a front bedroom, but Bangerter says there is heat and smoke damage throughout the house at 918 Alabama.
Traffic was disrupted at US-59 and Alabama starting at about 9:45 am. Dispatchers gave the all clear at about 11:30 am.