Firefighters from the Houston Rural and Cabool fire departments responded late Thursday night to a house fire on Highway UU south of Houston.
Houston Rural Chief Don Gaston said three trucks from his department and two from Cabool went to the scene at about 11 p.m., and that the blaze originated at the home’s chimney.
Gaston said a significant portion of the structure was saved without damage, but much of it sustained severe fire and smoke damage.
The house was owned by Karl Lee and lived in by other people. Lee’s daughter from Washington state said her father had been a resident of a Dixon nursing home and passed away Tuesday at a Rolla hospital.
Gaston and Houston Rural personnel returned to the scene at about 5:30 a.m. Friday after the fire reportedly started up again.