JPD officer spots house fire, wakes up, evacuates residents

(From the Joplin Police Department)

As Joplin News First and KSN 16 are already reporting, this morning around 128 am a Joplin Police Officer on patrol discovered a house on fire. 

The fire had not been reported and the residents inside were asleep. He was able to get the Joplin Fire Department en route and knock on the door and startle awake a combination of adults and kids. 

The officer assisted them in exiting the house to safety and then cleared the house himself to insure everyone was out. We always hate to see the devastation of house fires and these residents are now displaced, but we are grateful they were able to escape and our officer was able to help.
(From the Joplin Fire Department)

On Friday, 15 February 2019, at 1:26 AM the Joplin Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire with smoke showing at 115 S. McCoy St.

The fire was found by a Joplin Police Department Officer while on normal patrol. The officer awakened the sleeping residents and helped them evacuate. 

The first fire crew arrived on scene at 1:30 AM to find smoke and flames showing from the interior of a one-story wood framed structure. Crews extinguished the fire and overhauled the scene. Fire crews remained on scene until 3:30 AM.

There were no injuries to firefighting crews or civilians. The Red Cross was contacted for aid to the 7 residents of the house.

The Joplin Fire Department responded with 6 units and 18 personnel and was assisted by the Joplin Police Department and METS Ambulance Service.

The cause of fire was ruled accidental.