Cooking blamed for Boonville-area house fire

This home on Highway 98 near Boonville is a total loss after Wednesday’s fire (March 15, 2023 photo courtesy of the Cooper County Fire Protection District Facebook page)

No injuries are reported in Wednesday afternoon’s blaze that destroyed a house near Boonville.

The home is in the 23000 block of Highway 98. Cooper County Fire Protection District chief David Gehm tells our news partner KMIZ that the fire was cooking-related.

“And she was frying some things in the skillet on the stove and one of her dogs ran off and she went after it and forgot the stove, and it caught the house on fire. And it was an A-frame so they’re notorious for burning very quickly,” Gehm tells ABC-17’s Marina Diaz.

Chief Gehm says the dog has been located and is safe, adding the homeowner is appreciative of that.

Boone County Fire Protection District personnel assisted with mutual aid. Chief Gehm says four or five fire trucks were on-scene.