Fire Officials Say Cause of Fulton Ave Fire Smoking Related- Update

Updated at 4 p.m. Tuesday, August 13:  Hannibal Fire officials say Monday's fire on Fulton Avenue has been ruled accidental due to smoking materials. Investigators from the Hannibal Fire Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the Missouri State Fire Marshall's Office.

Original Story:

(Hannibal)—Fire broke out late Monday afternoon in a home located at 1106 Fulton Avenue in Hannibal.  Deputy Fire Chief Mike Benjamin says due to the close proximity of neighboring homes, a total of three houses were involved.

Benjamin says the home at 1106 Fulton is thought to be a total loss. The fire did cause minor damage to the homes on either side, which were both vacant-- flames spread to the attic of the home just to the north, and scorched the walls of the home to the south.

One person was inside the middle home when the fire erupted.  He escaped with minor injuries.

It took 18 Hannibal firefighters about an hour and a half to get the blaze in the middle house under control, with hotspots flaring up into the evening.