By RYAN SKAITH
Authorities in Cameron, MO have released additional details about a structure fire that occurred Tuesday. Feb 3.
A massive structure fire destroyed multiple businesses and apartments in downtown Cameron prompting a coordinated response from seven regional fire departments in what officials described as likely the largest blaze the city has seen in two decades.
The Cameron Fire Department was dispatched at 2 p.m. to the 100 block of West 3rd Street. Responders arrived within two minutes, with fire crews on the scene by 2:04 p.m. to find several buildings engulfed.
No injuries or fatalities were reported. Emergency crews worked to evacuate residents and their pets from the affected apartments.
The scale of the fire required an extensive mutual aid response. Firefighting teams from St. Joseph, Central DeKalb, Union Star, Clarksdale, Stewartsville, Osborn, and the KAW Fire District joined Cameron crews to contain the flames and prevent further spread through the block.
“Incidents of this magnitude cannot be managed by one department alone,” officials said in a statement, noting that the response highlighted the “critical importance of regional partnerships.”
While firefighters battled the blaze, Cameron utility and street crews managed infrastructure needs, and local law enforcement agencies established perimeters and directed traffic. The American Red Cross is currently assisting those displaced by the fire.
Local businesses, including Walmart, Casey’s General Store, Wood Shed, Pizza Hut, and McDonald’s, provided food, water, and supplies to first responders throughout the afternoon.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
