POPLAR BLUFF MAN SAVES WIFE AND GRANDCHILDREN FROM HOUSE FIRE
A Poplar Bluff man is in a St. Louis hospital after saving his family members from a house fire.
KWOC News spoke with Battalion Chief Stacy Harmon with the Poplar Bluff Fire Department about the incident.
“A little after 2 am this morning we received a call of a reported structure fire in the 700 block of South C Street with a person trapped inside that structure. We responded three engines to that address, the first engine that pulled up found a single story wood frame house that had heavy flame coming from all sides of the house except one.
We were met by a Poplar Bluff Police Officer that was on scene that said he had made contact with the family, a woman, another young woman, and a small juvenile, and stated that there was a gentleman that was trapped inside the bedroom in the front of the house. At that time, the first engine company, which was myself and one other guy, tried to make entry through the front door, we couldn’t get in because of heavy flame impingement, and we didn’t want to push fire into the bedroom where the gentleman was trapped.
At that time the second engine pulled up, and we had to take a chainsaw and breach the wall. Once we breached the wall we were able to gain entry into the room where he was and locate him. It took four of us to extricate him from the structure. We were able to get him out and EMS met us there on scene, and they started CPR and transported him to a local emergency room.
The female victim had told the police officer that was there on scene that her husband had awoken and noticed that the house was on fire and went and got her and the two granddaughters and got them to the front bedroom, which was the only option they had as far as an exit. He was able to get them squeezed through a small bedroom window to safety, but he was unable to get through the window himself.
When we pulled up they were telling us that the last place they had saw him was in that window and the bedroom that we found him in was right there where they told us.
A bad situation that we encountered would have been a whole lot worse because in my mind he saved his family’s life. Him waking up and getting them out of the house is what saved them. Butler County EMS transported all four to the local ER and the information we received is that the three females were checked for smoke inhalation and some minor scratches. The gentleman, we don’t really know the status of him, we just know that he is still alive right now.
The training kicks in, we did a wall breach, which is something we are taught as a last resort if we can’t get access to somebody and they performed it flawlessly.
They know what to do, I don’t have to tell them and they did their job, plain and simple. And that’s what they’ll tell you, they’re just doing their jobs.”
The man has been identified as 64 year old Alex Clinton, of Poplar Bluff. He was transported to a St. Louis hospital and his condition is not available at this time.
The fire is currently under investigation by the State Marshal’s Office and the Poplar Bluff Fire Department.
MARBLE HILL MAN IN CUSTODY ON FORRICBLE RAPE CHARGE IN STODDARD COUNTY
A Southeast Missouri man is facing multiple charges in connection to an alleged sexual assault.
Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Russell Oliver tells KWOC News that he has filed felony charges of forcible rape in the first degree, forcible sodomy in the first degree, kidnapping, domestic assault, and armed criminal action against Ryan Brown, of Marble Hill.
The charges are related to a sexual assault that is alleged to have occurred on August 8th.
A warrant was issued for Brown with no bond allowed and he was apprehended on Tuesday following an extensive search by the Dexter Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the US Marshall’s Office, and the Stoddard, Bollinger, and Mississippi County Sheriff’s Offices.
Oliver says that due to the graphic nature of the allegations, no further details of the events will be released by the Prosecutor’s Office.
SURVEY INDICATES EF-0 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN BUTLER COUNTY
A preliminary survey of the severe weather that crossed Southeast Missouri on Sunday indicates that a tornado touched down briefly in Butler County.
According to the National Weather Service, the EF-0 tornado touched down at 7:14 pm at a residence along Highway 53, around 4 miles northwest of Qulin.
The tornado lifted the front porch roof covering up and over the house, causing damage to the backside of the roof before landing in the backyard.
Officials say that a few trees were snapped on the property, as well.
The tornado had an estimated peak wind speed of 85 miles an hour with a maximum width of 50 yards. The length was estimated at around a tenth of a mile.
MEDICAID EXPANSION TO BE ALLOWED AFTER COURT RULING
A Missouri judge says Governor Mike Parson can no longer deny Medicaid health care to thousands more newly eligible adults.
Cole County Judge Jon Beetem issued the order Tuesday. Missouri voters in 2020 approved the constitutional amendment making more low-income adults eligible for the government health care program.
Governor Parson announced Wednesday that the Missouri Department of Social Services will begin allowing individuals to apply for the MO HealthNet program.
The expansion amendment also legally requires the state to maximize federal funding.
Missourians who believe they are eligible for MO HealthNet benefits under the expanded Medicaid eligibility may go to MyDSS.MO.Gov to apply.
Parson says that DSS will begin making eligibility determinations once MO HealthNet's software is updated to reflect the court order. Due to current staffing capacity and funding restraints, the required system update is anticipated to take up to 60 days.
ROAD CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULED FOR TODAY IN BUTLER AND STODDARD COUNTIES
Route U in Butler and Stoddard Counties will be reduced to one lane today as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform pavement repairs.
The section of roadway to be reduced is located from County Road 668 to County Road 675.
Weather permitting, work will take place from 7 am to 3 pm.
