The Owensville Volunteer Fire Department responded around 1:50 p.m. on Feb. 16 to a vacant home in the 700 block of Seventh Street in Owensville after a police officer noticed smoke coming out of the window eaves.

Owensville Police Lt. Mason Griffith was driving by the home when he noticed the smoke and notified Gasconade County Dispatch. Owensville Fire Chief Jeff Arnold was one of the first firemen on scene.

“When we arrived there were heavy smoke conditions,” Arnold said. “We didn’t know if anyone lived there at the time so crews on scene made an initial aggressive search of the residence.”

The fire was located on the main level of the house.

“It had burnt through the floor and up the wall from the basement,” Arnold said. “We are unsure of what the cause was. It started around the furnace; we are assuming it was an electrical fire.”

A lighting strike from a storm early the same morning had firemen responding to a treehouse on fire.

“It could have had something to do with the lightning strike around the corner that caught the treehouse on fire, but we don’t know that for certain,” Arnold said. “We spoke with the owner later and told her about the situation.”

Firemen were able to subdue the fire quickly, though the house received moderate damage to the main floor.

Mutual aid responded from the Bland Fire Protection District, Belle Fire Protection District, Gerald-Rosebud Fire Protection District, Hermann Area Volunteer Fire Department, Cuba Fire Protection District, and Beaufort-Leslie Fire Protection District. Firemen worked in 30 degree weather with gusty winds.