Cause of deadly fire at Fayette assisted living facility undetermined
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Missouri Department of Public Safety says the cause of a fire at an individualized 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 remains of 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 individualized supported living facility is located on the same property as Perkins Residential Care Center. The residential care facility did not have any fire damage.
ISL facilities are meant to allow people with intellectual or developmental disabilities to live independently or with others in a home environment.
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.
According to the Missouri Department of Mental Health, the Perkins home had two bedrooms on each floor with four people total living there, two on each level. DMH said Perkins Residential Care has moved the displaced residents into a new group home.
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. It's unclear whether the three people that escaped were staff or residents.
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.
