Workers demolish what’s left of condo after fatal fire

Crews worked to demolish a Mid-Missouri building where four small children died in a fire.

It’s now been almost 5 months since the condominium fire at Compass Pointe in Osage Beach.

ABC 17 News checked back in with authorities who said they still don’t know what caused the fire.

The status of the case is inactive, which is what happens to a case when investigators hit a dead end.

When there is no conclusive proof as to what caused the fire, the only way they can determine that information is through the process of elimination.

In this case, investigators were not able to eliminate every possibility, which, according to fire officials, happens almost half the time.

Reports said that there was strong evidence to suggest it was started by a discarded cigarette right outside the front door of the condo.

The fire resulted in the deaths of four children, all of them under 6 years old.

A discussion was sparked about safety concerns at Compass Pointe following the fire.

ABC 17 News talked to the committee’s chairman, Keith Miller, who said the problem is bringing the buildings up to the current fire code.

There’s a difference between the building code and the fire code.

If there are changes to the building code, existing structures can be grand fathered in and be granted a lot of leniency.

That’s not the case with the fire code. Those changes have to be made regardless of when the building was constructed.

Committee members said they are working now to develop recommendations for the fire board on how to conceivably bring these buildings up to fire code.

“The idea is to come up with ideas on how to improve fire safety and fire awareness. Whether it be through enforcement of code, enactment of new ordinances, or just an education,” said Aaron Ellsworth with the Fire Safety Committee Legal Council.

The committee is planning a public hearing to gather input from citizens in January.