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Cause of deadly fire at Fayette assisted living facility undetermined

Firefighters put out a fire at an assisted living facility on Villers Drive in Fayette on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. State fire investigators could not determine the cause of the fire due to the extensive damage.
KMIZ
Firefighters put out a fire at an assisted living facility on Villers Drive in Fayette on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. State fire investigators could not determine the cause of the fire due to the extensive damage.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Department of Public Safety says the cause of a fire at an independent supported living facility in Fayette that killed three people is undetermined.

Mike O'Connell with the Missouri Department of Public Safety says due to the extent of the fire and damage, no factual determination can be made on what caused the blaze.

The cause is now classified as undetermined.

Investigators on scene saw several space heaters throughout the facility located at 204 Villers Drive, according to O'Connell.

O'Connell says the fire consumed the facility, causing it to collapse into the basement.

The independent supported living facility is located on the same property as Perkins Residential Care Center. The residential care facility did not have any fire damage.

The fire sparked at around 6:40 a.m. Tuesday. It took firefighters about an hour to an hour and a half to put out the fire initially, with crews managing hotspots of the fire until the scene cleared at around 2 p.m.

Fayette Co-Fire Chief Steven Morrow tells ABC 17 News that six people were initially trapped inside the home, with three people escaping the fire without injuries and three people dying inside.

A family member identified one of the victims as 63-year-old Marcia Lyon. Lyon was identified by her brother Novy Foland.

ABC 17 News is still working to learn the identities of the additional victims. 

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Gabrielle Teiner

Gabrielle Teiner is the weekday morning anchor for ABC 17 News. She graduated The Pennsylvania State University and joined ABC 17 News in July 2023.

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