Lightning striking a nearby tree is suspected of sparking the electrical fire that destroyed the home of Jim and Patt Sanders on Sunday, July 18. The home on Mincher Road, located southeast of Steelville in the Mark Twain National Forest, is considered a total loss. None of the Sanders family members were injured in the fire.

It was reported that the Sanders family came home to find the house on fire, and one side of the house appeared to have flames coming from the windows. According to the Steelville Fire Protection District, crews were paged to a first alarm residential fire around noon on Sunday with flames showing from the structure. Upon their arrival, they found the two-story house fully involved with heavy fire and smoke.

Crews began attacking the fire from two sides of the home, and crews from Potosi and Viburnum came to their aid in support, but the house could not be saved. Twenty firefighters, eight fire trucks, and one Steelville ambulance were at the scene to assist the property and family.

The family’s personal vehicle, a 2000 Jeep Cherokee, was also consumed by the blaze. Fire Marshall Roger Hayes was called on scene to investigate the cause and damages.

“As far as we can tell, it was lightning that struck a tree,” said Medical Officer and Assistant Safety Officer Michael Keen. “It went through the electrical system. The claims adjuster called us (on July 20) and said their breaker box was completely charred.”

Although an extremely unfortunate circumstance, local Red Cross volunteers were ready to help the family after such a loss. “We did respond to the fire and met their emergency needs,” Red Cross Emergency Services Director Phillip Iman told Three Rivers Publishing. “We met their needs for food, clothing, and shelter. We wanted to make sure they had food on the table the next day and a place to stay.”