WENTZVILLE, Mo. — Two people were injured after a fire broke out late Monday night at a St. Charles County home.
Wentzville Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Mike Scott said the fire began just after 11:30 p.m. Monday at a two-story home in the Providence Estates subdivision off of Peine Road. Crews arrived to find heavy fire in the rear of the home, with flames spreading to the garage.
Battalion Chief Chris Browder said eight people, two dogs and a cat lived in the "multigenerational" home. Two people were injured in the fire, and one person was taken to an area hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. The other person refused medical treatment.
"We quickly got the fire under control, trying to prevent it from extending into the attic space on the second floor," Browder said.
Nearly 10 hours after the fire started, the flames were gone, but the garage was boarded up and pieces of the garage and debris were scattered over the yard.
Browder said the garage got the most damage.
"The garage was a complete loss but the living space, itself, was not damaged by any fire," he said.
The fire caused minor damage to a house next door, where there was some melted siding, Browder said.
Shelley Schmerold was one of the neighbors who woke up to the chaos Monday night.
"I actually was in bed, I live up the street and I kept seeing blinking and I'm like, 'What is going on?' and I kept hearing noises. It was a little scary and went on, for like, a long time," she said.
Schmerold said the noise was so loud she thought the house that was burning was closer to her own home.
"We thought it was a different house that had burned. It's so devastating," she said.
While the damage is severe, Schmerold is just glad her neighbors made it out okay.
"That's what we were saying (Monday) night. My husband, my son and I were like, 'Oh, I hope everybody got out okay. I hope everybody got out okay.' I'm hoping everything works out for them," she said.
The cause of the fire is still unknown at this time.
Scott said they were seeking housing for the other residents of the home.
Browder said the family was staying in a hotel Monday night, and the Red Cross was helping them find housing.
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