Firefighters Knock Down Maplewood House Fire

The owner of the house at 7127 High Street in Maplewood woke up to the sound of breaking glass on Thursday morning, said Captain Peter Marsac of the . She and her boyfriend left the house and called 911.

Firefighters could see a heavy plume of smoke from the fire station. When they arrived, they found the house engulfed in heavy fire and smoke. They immediately hit the house with a deck gun, from the truck, and hose lines.

Marsac spoke to neighbors, who told him that there were two inhabitants of the house, and that they were out. The firefighters used hoses to protect neighboring houses. They were able to "knock down" the fire outside and inside, Marsac said.

He said it's standard operating procedure to bring in St. Louis County bomb and arsenal to investigate the situation until the cause of fire is determined.

Eddie Williams, who lives next door, said firefighters and police arrived around 7 a.m. and told him he needed to evacuate his house.

Across the street, Ray Crader said he was in the shower, and when he got out he heard the sirens. He went to the door and saw "flames shooting out of the house." He guessed the firefighters had been knocking on his door.

He said he went back inside to get his wife, and by the time they were both out, the fire was knocked down.

"It was quick," Crader said.