Fire marshal rules Maries County nursing home fire accidentally caused by police chief’s cigarette
VIENNA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A fire that heavily damaged a Vienna residential care facility in August has been ruled accidental, according to a revised fire investigation report that cites security video showing the Vienna police chief discarding a lit cigarette shortly before the blaze began.
According to state fire marshal records obtained by ABC 17 News, the fire broke out shortly after 1:30 a.m. Aug. 7 at Vienna Pointe Residential Care Center, located at 112 Parkway St.
When firefighters arrived, they found the single-story building engulfed by fire, with flames venting through the roof and several residents initially unaccounted for.
No injuries were reported, but strong winds, limited water supply and fire spreading through the attic hampered suppression efforts, according to the Vienna Fire Protection District.
The Missouri Information Analysis Center requested assistance with the investigation, which was led by John Malcolm. Initial findings listed the cause as undetermined due to extensive damage and the inability to identify an ignition source.
However, the investigation was revised on Nov. 5 after insurers provided security video from the night of the fire.
Video footage obtained by ABC 17 News shows Vienna Police Chief Shannon Thompson arriving at the facility just before midnight Aug. 6 in response to an accidental 911 call. The video shows Thompson smoking a cigarette and placing it on a planter near the front entrance before entering the building.
Additional footage shows Thompson returning to the planter a few minutes later, removing the cigarette and appearing to stomp inside the planter before leaving. About an hour and a half later, video shows a small glow developing in the planter, which transitions into open flames and spreads to the building’s entrance.
Investigators concluded the fire was accidental and caused by “the unintended result of an individual placing a burning cigarette near combustible material,” with smoldering material left undiscovered after the cigarette was retrieved.
The Maries County Prosecutors' Office told ABC 17 News it is still determining whether or not charges will be filed.
Thompson was later interviewed by investigators and confirmed he had placed the cigarette on the planter and attempted to extinguish the area before leaving. He told investigators it did not occur to him at the time that his actions could have caused the fire. He noted the cigarette brand he smoked, "Exeter Red Kings”, is designed to self-extinguish.
ABC 17 News reached out to Thompson for comment.
According to the fire report, earlier in the investigation, utilities, including electrical service and propane tanks, were ruled out as possible causes. Investigators also noted the presence of an outdoor cigarette receptacle but said it could not be eliminated as a potential ignition source until the video evidence was reviewed.
Sharon Miller, a staff member who called 911 to report the fire, told investigators she noticed smoke earlier in the night but could not locate its source. She said she later evacuated residents and accounted for everyone, the report says.
The fire was reported at 1:36 a.m., and crews arrived about 15 minutes later to find the structure fully involved. Sprinklers were activated in parts of the building, but were ineffective due to the rapid fire spread in the attic, which lacked fire walls, according to the report.
