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February 4 – Doodle Hill Road, St. Matthews

In the early evening hours of Feb 4, firefighters were dispatched to a reported structure fire on the outskirts of St. Matthews.

The residence was a single-family structure, constructed of cinder block with a conventional wood/shingle roof.  Two passing motorists, one a member of a mutual aid station responding to the fire, attempted to gain access to the home, but were driven back by smoke and heat, and called 911.

The blaze appears to have started in a back bedroom, where a kerosene heater was found.  The victim was found by firefighters entering the structure.  EMS was called in and pronounced the victim dead.  Firefighters were able to knock the fire down before it could further involve the residence.  The bedroom of origin was completely consumed by the fire, and part of the adjoining hallway, also.  The rest of the house suffered some smoke and heat damage.

Mutual aid stations responding to the scene included Belleville, Caw Caw, and Jamison Volunteer Fire Departments.  Also supporting the incident were the St. Matthews Police Department, Calhoun County EMS, and the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office.

SLED has been called in to investigate, and results are pending.

January 31 – Lady Ashley Drive, St. Matthews

St. Matthews area firefighters responded to a structure fire on Lady Ashley Drive in the early afternoon Sunday.  The tones went out around noon, and firefighters found a double-wide mobile home involved in fire.

While conducting interior attack, teams encountered heavy fire and smoke conditions.  The fire began a roll-over on the ceiling in the kitchen area before the roof over the front room collapsed.  Firefighters were able to knock the fire down and foamed all hot spots.

A rekindle of the fire occurred later in the afternoon.  Responding units were able to identify the source of the rekindle using a thermal imaging camera.  The ceiling was removed and blown-in fiberglass insulation was saturated with water.  Rafters were also cooled with water.

The home was completely consumed by fire.

SMFD provided mutual aid to the Cameron Fire Department in response to a structure fire on Nate’s Store Road, located between Cameron and Lone Star off Highway 33.

SMFD responded to a reported structure fire at Williams Brothers Lane.