Mo. House Fire Claims Two Adults, Two Children Hurt
Aug. 27--Two adults died and two children survived after a basement fire filled their St. Louis County home with smoke early Tuesday. Police are investigating.
Georgetta Gapsch, 79, and Terry Gapsch, 38, were pronounced dead at a hospital after being pulled from the home by firefighters.
An 11-year-old girl, Maci Gapsch, who was rescued by firefighters remains in critical condition at a hospital.
The house at 10005 St. Simon Court is just off Tesson Ferry Road. The fire was reported at 1:25 a.m. by a teenage girl who managed to run to a neighbor's home for help.
The girl, 13-year-old Mia Gapsch, told police that three of her relatives were still inside. The officer couldn't get inside because of the heavy smoke. Mia Gapsch had minor injuries.
St. Louis County Police Officer Rick Eckhard said investigators with the county's arson and explosives unit have begun their probe. It appears the fire started in the basement, although the cause of the fire hasn't yet been determined.
Eckhard said there is no obvious signs of foul play.
Mehlville Fire Protection District's Assistant Chief Dan La Fata said fire crews arrived and were met by heavy black smoke at the single-family residence. They quickly extinguished the one-alarm blaze and went inside to get the three people out of the home.
No firefighters from the Mehlville or Affton districts were injured.
Beth Johnston, a spokeswoman for the Lindbergh School District, said Maci is 11 years old and a sixth grader at Sperreng Middle School. Mia is 13 years old and a seventh grader at Sperreng. Police had reported Maci's age as 12.
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