Two Saturday night car fires

Area fire departments were busy Saturday evening as two vehicle fires were reported in the area of Bluff Road.

The first call came in about 8:30 p.m. in Columbia. It was reported in the 700 block of DD Road near Mozel. First responders were briefly delayed by a train, and when they arrived on the scene, they found a 2004 BMW 745i with Missouri plates fully engulfed with no one around.

Columbia police were later able to verify that the car was reported stolen in St. Louis on May 4.

“We certainly think it is suspicious in circumstance,” Columbia Police Chief Jerry Paul said.

St. Louis police are investigating the stolen car aspect of the case. Columbia police are investigating the fire as a possible arson.

The second fire call was just more than an hour later. Valmeyer firefighters were called to an address on Bluff Road for another fully engulfed vehicle in a driveway. It was extinguished without incident and is not considered suspicious in nature. The vehicle was owned by Karleen Phillips.

There were no injuries reported from either fire scene.

Andrea F.D. Saathoff

Andrea is a graduate of Gibault High School and the University of Missouri School of Journalism, the University of Missouri Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville College of Education. She lives in Columbia with her husband and their twin toddler sons. When she isn't cheering on St. Louis Cardinals baseball or riding the emotional roller coaster of Mizzou Tigers football, she enjoys attending and participating in the many family events the county has to offer. email: andrea@republictimes.net

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