For the second day in a row, a rural Iuka home caught fire apparently from an electrical problem.
The fires were at the Michael and Kaylee Falconio home in the 8100 block of US 50 a half-mile east of the Iuka Road.
Iuka Fire Chief Kenny Eagan says both fires were in the same location near a desk in a second-floor office. Like the first fire Thursday, the Friday morning fire caused no structural damage but was confined to the desk and computer area of the room.
After the fire was put out on Thursday, some electrical circuits were turned back to turn the furnace on. The Falconio’s then left the home for the night. Smoke was discovered by Sheriff Kevin Cripps on his way to work and he called in the Friday morning fire.
Eagan says additional smoke and heat damage was caused to the upper story of the home in the second fire since all the doors were open this time.
In the first fire on Thursday, Kaylee Falconio was at the desk when fire came up the wall near where she was sitting. She dumped a bottle of water on the fire and closed two adjoining bedroom doors on her way downstairs that confined the heat and smoke damage in the first fire.
Ameren pulled the meter to the home following the Friday morning until the electrical problems could be diagnosed.
Salem, Kell, and Xenia Firemen were called for mutual aid and Kinmundy-Alma stood by at their station in the event of another fire in the Iuka Fire District on Friday. Salem provided mutual aid during the first fire call on Thursday.
