Investigators unsure how deadly Chariton County house fire began

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to note that a melted smoke alarm was found after the initial report was filed.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The cause of a deadly fire more than a week ago in Chariton County is unclear, the Missouri State Fire Marshal's Office reports.

An investigator with the office wrote in an incident report that the cause of the Dec. 11 fire that killed 75-year-old Cheryl Springer and her grandson Maxwell Springer was classified as "undetermined."

The report is still being finalized. The report initially said the home had no smoke detector but a Missouri Department of Public Safety spokesman said a melted smoke alarm was found after the initial report was written.

The finding means investigators don't suspect arson but they've also ruled out natural causes such as lightning.

Funeral services for Cheryl and Maxwell Springer took place Sunday and Friday, respectively. Maxwell Springer was dead when firefighters arrived and Cheryl Springer died in a hospital from the effects of smoke inhalation.

The fire is one of two deadly blazes in Mid-Missouri over the past two weeks. Last week two children died in a Columbia apartment fire.