A Missouri fire kills four family members and their family dog, and it injured two over the weekend. It erupted at a house in De Soto on Sunday. According to KMOV, At around two in the morning on October 11, the blaze started and had killed a couple. Joe Detter, 76, his wife, Frances Detter, 74, and their daughter, Sherri Detter, 37, and granddaughter, Kari Detter, 18, died in the incident.
Two Men Escaped Through Windows
The outlet noted that both Kari and Sherri's boyfriends had survived the fire. Family members said to the "St. Louis Post-Dispatch" that two men had survived the flames. The duo hopped out of second-story windows, and one of them is still in the hospital.
The Dad Was a Great Friend to Many
Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce remembers Joe as a "great friend." Members told KMOV that they are both saddened and do not know what to say about the loss of Joe Detter, his wife, and granddaughter.
People from the Hillsboro Chamber also shared that Joe had been the building inspector of the City of Hillsboro for many years. They also said that they would miss him terribly because he was a great friend to many. They are sending their condolences to the Detter family. Other than that, they want the family to know that Joe will be in the hearts of his friends.
James Detter, Joe and Frances' son, described the "Post-Dispatch" about his father's qualities. He said that his dad is famous around the area as being a friendly person. He also noted that Joe is willing to assist anyone who is in need.
James said one of the couple's seven children noted that no one in the town had not received Joe's help. He added that people everywhere would surely miss his dad.
Boyfriend Shares What Happened
Kari's boyfriend stated to James that he was asleep when the fire broke out on the second floor of the house. He said that he had been forced to jump from the window because the flames have blocked the stairs leading to the first floor.
He also told James that Kari was hesitant to jump to the ground. After he jumped and looked up, his girlfriend was already gone. KMOV reported that the two men that had escaped called for 911 for help. The family's dog also died in the blaze.
Dispatchers learned that there were four more people trapped inside during the call. Firefighters used ground ladders to go to the second floor. Stephen Orr, Rock Community Fire Captain, said that they found four dead adults inside while doing a secondary search.
Fifteen fire departments from Jefferson and Washington County have assisted with the blaze. At around five in the morning, fire crews were able to get the flames under control.
Based on Missourinet, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and the Missouri State Fire Marshal's Office are still investigating the accident's cause. A GoFundMe page was organized for the family.
