By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Fire engulfed an occupied house on Clay Street, near the intersection with 22nd, early Tuesday evening, leaving one injured.
St. Joseph Fire Inspector Steve Henrichson says the fire department got the call shortly after 6:30. Henrichson says when crews arrived, they found heavy fire and smoke in the back of the building.
“They made sure everyone was evacuated,” Henrichson tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “Did a secondary search because they weren’t sure about one person. We didn’t find anybody in the building. Other than that, the damage was mainly in the back.”
The one-time single-family house has been divided into four units, two on the first story and two on the second. The landlord told Henrichson 12 people lived in the house. All escaped without injury except for one who was treated on the scene and then taken to the hospital.
Firefighters had the fire extinguished well before eight o’clock.
Henrichson says he has narrowed the cause of the fire to three possibilities. He does not believe the fire was set.
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