Fire broke out at a Cuba apartment complex Saturday night. While no one was hurt, extensive fire and smoke damage to the building left a number of families homeless for the holidays.

The apartment building at 509 East Main once was home to the Cuba Hotel. Now, it sits vacant, by order of the public works director due to safety concerns, and encircled by yellow police tape to keep trespassers away.

The fire call went out Saturday night at 7:48 p.m. According to Paul Crow of the Cuba Police Department, the fire originated in a first floor bedroom, where a five-year-old boy was believed to be playing with a lighter when he ignited a mattress.

Cuba Fire Chief Mike Plank reported the child’s father attempted to put out the fire himself, but couldn’t. That caused a bit of a delay in emergency response time to the scene.

The fire department was able to get the fire out, but not until after it had extended into the adjoining apartments and the second floor. The Cuba Fire Department, with support from other local fire agencies from Bourbon, Leasburg, Sullivan and Steelville, was able to keep the blaze from destroying the entire structure, but there was considerable smoke and water damage throughout.

Considered an unsafe structure after the fire, the fourteen-unit apartment complex was condemned by the public works director and closed until further notice. City utilities were disconnected and Plank said there was extensive damage to the electrical system. If the building is repaired and made habitable again, it will take require major repairs. In the meantime, those families living inside the apartment complex at the time of the fire are now without permanent homes as the holiday season begins.

There were no injuries reported and according to Chief Plank, it was a blessing that the fire took place in the seven o’clock hour, rather than later that night. “It could’ve been a major disaster. If it’s 2 a.m., people are sound asleep and more residents are probably at home at the time,” he said. “It was a good thing it happened when it did.”

The fire department reported that only one smoke detector was sounding when they arrived on scene, and Plank said that should serve to remind people to check their smoke detectors right away. “What if this happens in the middle of the night and no one even hears the alarm because the batteries in their detectors are dead? It’s scary to think what we’d be talking about right now if that had happened,” he told Three Rivers Publishing. “I encourage everyone to make sure they have smoke detectors in their homes and that they work properly.”

Melissa Friel of the American Red Cross stated that thirteen families lost homes in the fire. They are all getting Red Cross assistance, including help with temporary housing, food and clothing. Later, they will receive financial help (for security and rent deposits) in obtaining new permanent residences.

“The Red Cross is not a government agency. We rely on the donated dollar to meet the needs of those affected by disasters such as the one in Cuba last weekend,” said Friel. She stated the Red Cross would spend as much as $10,000 to help the families recovering from Saturday night’s fire.

Friel encouraged anyone wishing to donate to call the Jefferson City Red Cross office at 1-866-815-2738. Donations will go into the Red Cross Disaster Fund.