House fire east of Columbia causes large response

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Firefighters with the Boone County Fire Protection District were battling a house fire in Boone County, just east of Columbia Thursday morning.

An ABC 17 News videographer arrived at the scene on Snead Drive just before 7 a.m. and saw heavy smoke coming from a home, with flames coming out of the front.

Boone County Assistant Chief Chuck Doss says crews were called at 6:43 a.m. Thursday for reports of a house fire. They arrived on scene about five minutes later and found heavy fire within the home.

The fire was put out about 15 minutes later and crews are still on scene doing clean-up work to get rid of hot spots and smoke residue. No injuries were reported, according to Doss.

Doss says the home has significant damage and expects the fire department to be on scene for the next hour or two. Boone County Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Gale Blomenkamp later said the fire was likely cause by a "failed extension cord to a portable heater," and that $350,000 in damage was reported.

Twelve Boone County Fire Protection District trucks, an MU Health Care ambulance and numerous firefighters were on scene battling the blaze.

At 7:15 a.m., smoke was still billowing from the home.

The scene was clear around 10:30 a.m.