Fire deemed an arson at Columbia funeral home

The Columbia Police Department is investigating a weekend fire that has been deemed an arson by the fire department.

Several drivers called 911 to report smoke coming from the Bach Yager Funeral Home on North Garth Avenue just before 5 a.m. Sunday.

When firefighters arrived on scene, they found thick, brown smoke pouring from the eaves of the two story building.

The first crew entered the building and had zero-visibility in high heat conditions while they tried to locate the fire.

“We had conditions and challenges that required more people, more manpower,” Columbia Fire Department Captain John Metz told ABC 17 News. “And so we requested a second-alarm, and that brings three additional engines and an air re-supply unit.”

Just before 5:30 a.m., the incident commander struck a second alarm as the conditions and building size made it difficult to extinguish the fire.

“The assumption there is if it’s a second alarm, we’re in smoke conditions and we need to re-fill our air tanks,” Metz said.

The department has three levels of alarms for structure fires. The first alarm, a typical call for service at a structure fire, brings three engines, a ladder truck and a rescue squad. The second alarm calls in three more engines, which carry three firefighters apiece, and an air supply unit.

Metz said the department has only had a few two-alarm fires this year.

A “general alarm” is the highest level, and uses nearly all the available resources the department has at the time. Metz said sometimes in a general alarm, the department asks the Boone County Fire Protection District for help.

Around 6 a.m., the fire was under control. Crews remained on scene for more than three hours surveying the damage and ventilating the building.

Metz estimated the building suffered around $200,000 in damages. Investigators determined the fire had been intentionally set based on evidence inside the building.

There were no injuries.

Metz said about thirty firefighters worked to put out the fire. Six fire engines, a ladder truck, a rescue squad, an air supply unit and several support units responded to the fire.