Highway patrol update on deaths

Captain Luke Vislay Director of Division of Drug and Crime Control announces at the request of the State Fire Marshals Office an investigation was initiated into a structure fire on Monday, November 27, 2006, at approximately 1:00 am at the Anderson Guest House, located on Missouri 59 in Anderson, Missouri. Officers from the Anderson Police Department were contacted by phone from an area resident that reported seeing flames coming from the building. An Anderson Police Officer, along with a McDonald County Sheriff`s Deputy were the first officers on the scene and began assisting one of the residents of the Anderson Guest House, in attempting to evacuate the remaining occupants. At the time of the incident, the facility was occupied by a total of 35 people. 33 residents and two employee/caregivers were present when the fire started. Currently, Ten of those occupants have been confirmed dead, eighteen have been hospitalized and six have been treated and released from area hospitals. Amy Brown, age 37, Nathan Fisher, age 52, Patricia Henson, age 54, Brian Rudnick, age 33, Don Schorzman, age 57, Alta Lemons, age 74, Isiah Joyce, age 25, and Glen Taff an employee of the facility were among those who perished in the fire. Two other occupants died during the incident, however, their names are not being released until notification of kin has been made. Agencies participating in the fire investigation are the Anderson Police Department, McDonald County Sheriff`s Office, the Missouri Fire Marshal`s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Missouri Attorney General`s Office. Several fire departments also responded to the scene to assist the Anderson Fire Department in fighting the blaze, to include Pineville, Goodman, Lanagan, Southwest, Fairview, and Tiff City Fire Departments. The quick response of the first responders, including the Anderson Police, McDonald County Sheriff`s Department, and Anderson Fire Department were instrumental in the evacuation of the remaining occupants who certainly would have not survived the fire if not for the heroic efforts taken during the initial response to the incident. The investigation is continuing in attempt to determine the potential causes and the point of origin of the fire. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms is assigning an electrical engineer from the Fire Research Laboratory to assist the investigators with those efforts. More details regarding this incident will be made available as the investigation continues. (Copyright 2006 Newsroom Solutions, LLC)