Cause Of Double Fatality Fire In West Plains May Never Be Known

The cause of a double-fatality residential structure fire near West Plains in Howell County may never be known.

That’s according to Mike O’Connell from the Missouri Division of Fire Safety who says the bodies of the two unidentified victims were found during the early-morning hours on Thursday after the structure consisting of two single-wide mobile homes put together went up in the flames.

Several area fire districts assisted and, because of the damage, the cause of the fire is undetermined. Autopsies are to be performed on the two victims.

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Because of the extent of the damage, the Missouri Division of Fire Safety has listed the cause of a fatal fire that occurred in Howell County on Dec. 14 as undetermined. The Peace Valley – White Church Volunteer Fire Department requested that the division investigate the residential fire at 7799 County Road 1940, near West Plains, Mo.

The fire was reported to 911 at 11:40 p.m. on Dec. 14. DFS received the request to investigate the fire at 12:33 a.m. on Dec. 15. The DFS investigator arrived at the scene at 1:13 a.m.

The bodies of two people were recovered in the residence. One of the victims had already been located when the DFS investigator arrived at the scene. The body of the second victim was located at about 4:58 a.m., following an extensive search. The bodies of the victims were released to the Howell County Coroner. DFS has requested autopsies be performed. No one else was injured in the fire.

The residence consisted of two attached single-wide mobile homes. The structure is considered a total loss.

The Howell Co. Rural Fire Protection District, Pomona Fire Protection District and Mountain View Fire Department assisting in fighting the fire. The Howell Co. Sheriff’s Office also responded to the fire.