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KITCHEN FIRE CAUSES EXTENSIVE DAMAGE ............... Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 11:52 A.M. (SPANISH LAKE) - A kitchen fire caused extensive damage to the kitchen of a residence at 12137 Spanish Blvd. The owner was in another part of the house when grease on the stove erupted into fire. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire and no one was injured. The American Red Cross if finding temporary living accomodations for the residence.

APARTMENT OFFICES DAMAGED BY FIRE ............... Monday, December 10, 2007 - 06:20 A.M. (SPANISH LAKE) - A early morning fire heavily damaged the exterior of the management offices at the Windham Chase Apartments, 12401 Horizon Village Drive in Spanish Lake. The offices were closed at the time of the fire. The fire originated at the front door to the offices and was quickly extinguished by firefighters. The St. Louis County Police Bomb & Arson Unit was called to the scene to investigate the cause of the fire which is believed to have been a case of arson. There were no injuries reported.

KITCHEN FIRE - PET KILLED ............... Friday, November 30, 2007 - 11:59 A.M. (SPANISH LAKE) - Firefighters responded to a kitchen fire 1334 Petite Drive in Spanish Lake. The fire caused extensive damage to the kitchen and smoke, water and heat damage throughout the house. The owners pet Yorky was found in the house by firefighters and had died from smoke inhalation. There were no injuries reported.

FIREFIGHTERS TRAIN ON VEHICLE RESCUES ............... Tuesday, September 4, 2007 (SPANISH LAKE) Firefighters trained on newly acquired stabilizing struts which are used to stabilize vehicles that are involved in automobile accidents. Stabilizing the vehicle allows the victims and rescuers to remain in a safer environment during the rescue operations.

ROBBERY, ASSAULT AND ARSON ............... Tuesday, October 9, 2007 - (SPANISH LAKE) - Firefighters responded to a fire at Aunti Emm's drive-in restaurant at 1669 Pattern Drive. A small fire inside the restaurant was quickly extinguished and caused approximately $2,000.00 damage. The owner stated that he was taking the trash out to the dumpster when he was assulted by an unknown black male subject who then went into his restaurant and stole money from the cash register and setting the building on fire before leaving. The owner was treated on the scene by EMS personnel but refused to go to the hospital.

SPANISH LAKE HOUSE DAMAGED BY BEDROOM FIRE ............... August 3, 2005 1:40 a.m. - Firefighters responded to a house fire in the 12000 block of Trampe Heights Lane. Firefighters found smoke and flames pouring from the front bedroom window of the residence, which was quickly extinguished. The fire started on the bed after a child dropped a lit candle on the bed and igniting it. There were no injuries reported.

SIX PEOPLE JUMP FROM SECOND FLOOR TO ESCAPE BURNING APARTMENT ............... July 18, 2005 - Firefighters responded to a mid-night kitchen fire in the 1700 block of El Sabado in the Countryside Apartments. Six people jumped from the rear second floor bedroom window during the fire which was quickly extinguished by the firefighters. All six people were sent to the hospital with what appeared to be minor injuries. The fire started on the kitchen range top. The fire was confined to a single apartment.

CAR HITS SECOND FLOOR OF APARTMENT BUILDING ............... May 22, 2005 - Spanish Lake Firefighters responded to a car that had struck a building at 12003 El Greco Drive in the Countryside Apartments. The car had been driven off a church parking lot on Roseview Lane and landed against the apartment building. There were four occupants in the automobile and there were no injuries. There was some damage to the second floor of the apartment building and firefighters stood by until the vehicle was removed.

TWO ALARM FIRE DAMAGES SPANISH LAKE RESIDENCE ............... Monday, March 7, 2005 - 1:57 P.M. - A two alarm fire severely damaged a single family residence in the 1700 block of Ox Bow Lane. The fire, which started in the basement, had fully engulfed the structure by the time firefighters arrived on the scene. The heat from the fire caused some damage to the house next door. There were no injuries reported. the cause of the fire has not been determined and is under investigation. Firefighters from Spanish Lake were assisted by firefighters from Black Jack, Riverview, Moline (Metro-North), and Ferguson.

MAN RESCUE BY FIREFIGHTERS AFTER FALLING INTO WELL IN SPANISH LAKE ............... Friday, February 11, 2005- A St. Louis area man is safe and sound after falling, and getting trapped in a well Friday afternoon. Rescue crews work to pull Freeman Thompson from a well in Spanish Lake. Authorities say that Freeman Thompson, 51, and a friend were doing some work on a home in the 1900 block of Parker Road when their pick-up truck became stuck in the mud. When Thompson got out to help free the truck he apparently fell into the well. Thompson spent about an hour underground while rescuers secured a line to him and pulled him up. Thompson did not appear to be seriously injured in the ordeal.

EARLY MORNING BLAZE DESTROYS HOME IN SPANISH LAKE............... Sunday, January 16, 2005 4:00 AM - Firefighters were confronted with a house fully engulfed in fire and freezing temperatures early sunday morning in the 1200 block of Maple Avenue. The resident stated that he awoke choking on smoke and saw the kitchen on fire. After attempts to put the fire out failed, he called 911. The cause of the fire is undetermined and there were no injuries.

SLFPD FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE RESCUE THREE CHILDREN FROM BURNING HOME............... December 24, 2004 - A 9-year-old boy suffered critical injury when his family’s home in north St. Louis went up in flames early today. Police said the fire started about 5 a.m. when the Hubert family was asleep. The parents, Louis and Lanae Hubert, escaped but their three children remained trapped inside the home in the 12700 block of Meadowdale Drive, police said. St. Louis County police officers pulled out two children, Edwin, 9, and Justin, 12. Spanish Lake firefighters went inside to find Edward Williams, 9. He had suffered smoke inhalation. He was taken to St. Louis Children’s Hospital, where he was in critical but stable condition this afternoon.

COAL TRAIN DERAILMENT IN SPANISH LAKE............... December 5, 2004 5:00 A.M. - Ten empty coal cars of a north bound BNSF train derailed at the Larimore Road intersection. Larimore Road was closed for most of the day sunday while railroad workers uprighted the derailed train cars. There were no injuries reported and the only damage was to railroad property.

SUSPICIOUS FIRE DESTROYS HOME WHERE MAN DIED EARLIER THIS MONTH............... October 18, 2004 - (KSDK TV) There is concern Monday night in a Spanish Lake neighborhood, after an early morning fire gutted a house where a man died under suspicious circumstances two weeks ago. St. Louis County police are now trying to determine whether the two incidents are related, or just a tragic co-incidence.

TWO ALARM FIRE DESTROYS AUTO REPAIR SHOP............... Tuesday, September 28, 2004 4:00 p.m. - Firefighters fought a two alarm fire in an automobile repair shop for about an hour tuesday in the Smith & Sons Auto Repair at 11744 Riverview Drive. The fire is believed to have started while a worker was repairing the fuel system on a car. The fire destroyed the building and at least 12 vehicles inside. Damage was estimated at $500,000.00. One firefighter was injured while fighting the fire, there were no other injuries reported.

CAR FIRE ON EAST BOUND HIGHWAY 270............... Monday, September 20, 2004 4:20 p.m. - Firefighters extinguished a fire in an automobile on east bound Highway 270 near Bellefontaine Road. The fire started in the engine compartment and spread to the interior. There were no injuries. East bound Highway 270 was closed for about an hour.

CAR STRIKES FIVE PARKED CARS AND A TREE............... Wednesday, September 16, 2004 8:45 p.m. - An automobile driven by a male teen struck two cars parked on Widefield Avenue then turned onto Raymond Avenue and struck three more cars before striking a tree at the corner of Raymond and Fairmeadows Lane. One person was injured in a car parked on Widefield as well as the driver that caused the accident. both were transported to the hospital.

TANKER CARRYING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS OVERTURNED ON HIGHWAY 270............... Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 3:00 a.m. - A tank truck carrying 6400 gallons of Ethynol struck an abandoned automobile parked on the shoulder of west bound Highway 270 near Riverview Drive. The driver lost control and struck the guard rail, causing the truck to overturn. A fourteen foot section of the guard rail went through the tank, causing 4500 gallons of Eythnol product, a flammable liquid, to be spilled. The accident closed both east and west bound lanes of Highway 270 for 9 hours while firefighters and hazmat crews worked to remove the hazardous materials and the tank truck from the area. Approximately 15 homes in the area were evacuated as a precaution. The truck driver received minor injuries and was transported to the hospital.

RESIDENTIAL GARAGE DESTROYED BY FIRE............... Friday, June 25, 2004 2:20 p.m. Firefighters battled a one alarm blaze that destroyed a three car detached garage at #6 Elmcrest Acres Drive. The fire apparently started in a motorcyle that was being worked on in the garage. The owner attemped to put the fire out with a garden hose before calling the fire department. The garage was nearly destroyed when the firefighters arrived on the scene. The heat from the fire caused minor damage to the nearby house. Also destroyed in the fire were the motorcycle and a pick-up truck. There were no reports of injuries.

FIREFIGHTERS RESCUE SIX YEAR OLD FROM APARTMENT FIRE............... Friday, April 8, 2004 11:30 p.m. Firefighters rescued a six year old boy from his burning apartment in the 12000 block of El Greco Ct. in the Countryside Apartments. Firefighters found fire coming out of the front windows on their arrival. The fire was knocked down and Captain Glenn Murphy and Firefighter Paul Latham quickly entered the apartment to search for the missing child. Captain Murphy found the child lying unconscious on the floor of a second floor bedroom. The child was brought out and rushed to the hospital. The resident told police that she had arrived home from work at about 11:00 p.m. and put her three children to bed on the second floor. She put something on the stove and fell asleep on the couch. When she awoke the apartment was on fire. She got her two girls out but could not get to the boy due to the heavy smoke.

CAR FIRE ON SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT............... Friday, March 12, 2004 2:38 p.m. Firefighters extinguished a car fire on the Schnucks Parking Lot at Larimore and Bellefontaine Roads. The driver pulled into the parking lot with car trouble when it suddenly caught fire. There were two persons in the car and both got out without injury. The car was a total loss.

APARTMENT FIRE CAUSES HEAVY DAMAGE............... SPANISH LAKE - Sunday, June 20, 2004 2:30 a.m. Firefighters quickly extinguished a bedroom fire on the third floor of an apartment building in the 11000 block of Riaza Square Drive, in the Sierra Vista Apartments. There was no one home at the time of the fire which was visible from the 3rd floor window when the firefighters arrived. There was no one injured in the fire that caused about $200,000.00 damage.

HAY FIRE DAMAGES STORAGE SHED............... SPANISH LAKE - Saturday, May 22, 2004 1:50 p.m. Firefighters extinguished a fire in a pile of hay bales next to a storage shed at the ball diamonds in the 12000 block of Riverview Drive. The fire caused some damage to the metal shed

87 YEAR OLD MAN RUN OVER TWICE BY HIS OWN CAR............... SPANISH LAKE - Tuesday, April 20, 2004 An 87 year old man was run over by his own automobile that was parked in his driveway in the 1300 block of Columbus Drive. According to a witness, the man was getting into his automobile when it starting rolling backward down the steep driveway. He fell to the ground and was dragged to the street where the car ran over his legs. The car continued across the street into another driveway and then rolled back and ran over the victim a second time. The man was treated on the scene by firefighters and paramedics. Due to his severe injuries, the victim was transported by ambulance to a helicopter landing site at Criterion Avenue and Trampe Heights Drive. He was then flown by a medical helicopter to a level one trama center at Barnes Hospital.

FAMILY DISPLACED BY BEDROOM FIRE............... SPANISH LAKE - Saturday, May 8, 2004 10:00 a.m. Firefighters arrived at a residence on the corner of Raymond and Crossett Avenues and found heavy fire and smoke coming from the front bedroom window. They quickly extinguished the fire, which caused extensive damage to the interior of the house. The residents, who were home watching TV, discovered the fire in the bedroom at around 10:00 a.m. and called 911. The American Red Cross is finding temporary housing for the residents. There were no injuries reported.

DRIVER DUMPS LOAD OF FLAMING RUBBISH............... SPANISH LAKE - Friday, April 2, 2004 1:45 p.m. A trash truck driver dumped his load of rubbish, on a parking lot behind the Citco Station at Larimore and Coal Bank Roads, when he discovered that it was on fire. Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze and the remaining trash was loaded into another trash truck.

MAN SUFFERS MINOR SMOKE INHALATION IN HOUSE FIRE ............... SPANISH LAKE - Tuesday, March 3, 2004 9:48 a.m. Firefighters extinguished a fire in the attic above the bathroom, in a residence in the 12000 block of Mendoza Avenue. The fire apparently started in a bathroom ceiling fan and caused damage to the wood structure above. The resident was sleeping at the time and awoke to smoke in the house. The resident called 911 and left the house. Firefighters removed the family dog from house on their arrival. The resident refused the ambulance but went to the hospital on his own.

FIREFIGHTERS INVESTIGATE FLUE FIRE ............... SPANISH LAKE - Friday, February 21, 2004 10:00 p.m. Firefighters investigated a reported flue fire at 1307 Claudine Drive. Firefighters removed the fire from the fireplace and checked the flue and structure. They found no fire outside of the flue and they found no damage to the structure.

TWO PICK-UPS COLLIDE - TRUCK OVERTURNED ............... SPANISH LAKE - Thursday, December 11, 2003 Firefighters extricated one person from a overturned pick-up truck in a two vehicle accident at Trampe Road and Criterion Avenue. The driver of the overturned truck was taken to the hospital the other driver was not injured but was arrested by the police on unspecified charges.

ONE ALARM APARTMENT FIRE ............... SPANISH LAKE - Thursday, December 11, 2003Firefighters extinguished a fire in the closet of a second floor apartment unit in the 11000 block of Ruesta Drive in the Sierra Vista Apartments. The cause of the fire is undetermined and the St.Louis County Police Bomb and Arson Unit is investigating. There were no injuries.

AUTOMOBILE LEAVES HIGHWAY I-270 AND OVERTURNS ............... Wednesday, December 3, 2003 - SPANISH LAKE - Firefighters responded to an automobile overturned on Highway I-270 just west of Bellefontaine Road on Wednesday afternoon. Two west bound vehicles collided on I-270 and both left the highway. One automobile overturned and skidded on its top up the embankment and through a fence onto east bound Dunn Road. There were only minor injuries and no one was trapped.

CARJACK SUSPECT PINNED UNDER STOLEN AUTO............... Friday, November 20, 2003 - 10:30 P.M. - SPANISH LAKE - Firefighters extracated a carjacking suspect that was trapped under a stolen automobile on Dunn Road, west of Riverview Drive. The driver of the stolen vehicle was thrown out of the auto when it ran off the roadway and overturned, pinning his leg under the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was apparently carjacked from the Raintree Apartments when it crashed two miles away after fleeing from police. The driver of the vehicle, Mark Coleman Jr., 17, of the 4800 block of Anderson Avenue, was charged with two counts of robbery, two counts of armed criminal action and one count of resisting arrest. There were no other injuries.

AUTOMOBILE FIRE ON BELLEFONTAINE ROAD............... Monday, November 3, 2003 - 10:30 p.m. - SPANISH LAKE - Friday, November 7, 2003 - 11:53 a.m. - SPANISH LAKE - Firefighters Bob Vierdag, Paul Latham and Jason Raines extinguished a fire in an automobile at Bellefontaine Road and Larimore Parkway. The vehicle was north bound on Bellefonaine Road when a fire started in the engine compartment. There were no injuries.

FIRE CAUSES HEAVY DAMAGE TO UNOCCUPIED RESIDENCE............... Monday, November 3, 2003 - 10:30 p.m. - SPANISH LAKE - Firefighters extinguished a fire in split level residence in the 1100 block of Soria Drive. The fire caused extensive damage to the interior of the home. The resident stated that she was not living in the house due to the utilities having been turned off. She came to the house to check on some things and lit a candle for light. She stated that the candle set a blanket on fire and that she was unable to extinguish it. There were no injuries and the cause of the fire is under investigation by the St. Louis County Police Bomb and Arson Unit. Spanish Lake was assisted by firefighters from Black Jack and Riverview Fire Districts.

WIND DRIVEN FIRE ON STORAGE LOT............... Friday, October 30, 2003 - 3:30 p.m. - SPANISH LAKE - Firefighters John Schroeder, Scott Peterson and Bud Bauer worked quickly to extinguished a wind driven fire in a outside storage area at the old NYA Field on Columbia Bottoms Road. The fire was blowing into a wooded area north of the site.

AUTOMOBILE FIRE............... Thursday, October 23, 2003 - 4:00 p.m. - SPANISH LAKE - Firefighters extinguished a car fire in the 1900 block of Lakeaire Drive. The fire was confined to the engine compartment of the vehicle. There were no injuries.

COMBINE FIRE............... Monday, October 20, 2003 - 8:30 P.M. - SPANISH LAKE - Firefighters extinguished a fire in a farmer's combine in the Missouri Conservation Area. The farmer had been cutting soy beans when the combine started smoking. The fire was caused by a mechanical malfunction and caused minor damage to the machine.

FIRES SET IN TWO VACANT APARTMENTS......Monday, October 20, 2003 - 2:00 a.m. - SPANISH LAKE - Firefighters extinguished two fires that were set in neighboring apartments in the 1700 block of Sagunto Ct. in the Countryside Apartments. Someone had placed combustible items on top of the stove in each apartment and turned the four burners on high which ignited the combustibles. They also placed a booby trap attached to the entry door in an apparent attempt to injure a firefighter. The fire caused approximately $15,000.00 damage and is being investigated by the St. Louis County Police Bomb & Arson Unit. There were no injuries.

AUTOMOBILE FIRE AT DUNN & LUSHER ROADS...... Friday, October 17, 2003 - 11:55 a.m. - SPANISH LAKE - Firefighters Novis Lee, Christopher Hunt and Jeff Morris extinguished an automobile fire at the intersection of Dunn and Lusher Roads. The 1985 Volkswagon was north bound on Lusher Road when it caught fire. There were no injuries.

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