Forest Pointe Condominiums sustain over $6M in damages; fire official can only speculate about cause
By JOYCE L. MILLER
Lake Sun
MORGAN COUNTY, Mo. — Residents of Forest Pointe Condominiums in Timberlake Village fled from their homes after fire broke out in a building still under construction. The fire quickly spread to two other condo buildings early Wednesday morning.
The Forest Pointe Condominium complex is off Highway W-12 and Y-13 in Lick Branch Cove at the 5-mile marker on the north shore in Morgan County.
The fire was first reported at 2:30 a.m. Firefighters from six agencies responded to a call for mutual aid from Rocky Mount Fire Protection District.
The majority of the condo units were unoccupied when the blaze broke out. One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion, another was taken to Lake Regional Hospital as a precaution after being pinned for a short time under a deck that collapsed.
Rocky Mount Fire Protection District Chief Larry Paynter said the cause of the fire remains under investigation, but corroborated that it appears to have started in the building under construction. Faulty cords, wiring or sparks from smoldering equipment could have ignited the blaze, but it may be impossible to officially determine a cause due to the extent of the damage, he said.
State Fire Marshal Jim Wilson is in charge of the investigation. In a fire of this magnitude, investigators always look for evidence to rule out arson. Paynter and Wilson did not say arson was suspected.
Paynter said Wednesday morning’s fire is the largest blaze he remembers in his 20-plus years with the fire district. The heat from the fire combined with the temperature made conditions extremely uncomfortable for firefighters. However, he said two fire boats and the additional equipment brought in from other districts kept firefighters supplied with ample water to bring the fire under control.
Two of the buildings were destroyed, the third was damaged to the extent that it was also listed as a total loss. Estimated value of the three buildings is approximately $6 million, according to fire officials. The project has a total of five buildings. Each of the units sells for approximately $280,000.
More than 50 firefighters fought the blaze for several hours. By late morning, Paynter said some firefighters were still on the scene taking care of spot fires and watching piles of debris smolder to prevent any from rekindling.