He says he is not a hero, man helps people out of burning apartment building

JOPLIN, Mo. — Thursday, September 22, 2022, just after 5:30 a.m. calls for fire on East 9th Street, to an apartment building housing four units. Joey Burton was driving along St Louis Ave on his way to work and smelled smoke.

Burton tells us, “I got up early, was headed into work. I was going down St Louis and I got to the park and I could smell smoke. So I was kind of looking around. When I got to the railroad tracks I looked over and saw a glow coming over the top of that building. I though I’d better go check this out.”

| RELATED >> BREAKING Apartment building fire in Joplin

“I pulled over and sure enough there was flames coming out the roof. So I jumped out and just started beating on doors just telling people to get out.

It took a while for people to answer, then finally people started coming.  Smoke was coming out the doors, they was coughing. But I am just glad I was able to get them out.”

He tells us Joplin Police were on the scene quickly as well. Burton was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation but he doesn’t call himself a hero.

I don’t consider myself a hero… I think anyone would have done what I done. I mean… you see a building on fire you go check and make sure everyone is out.”

The building was a total loss. Everyone was out safely, however an unknown number of family pets did perish in the fire.

The Joplin Fire Dept released more details in a media release:

5:34 AM, the Joplin 911 Communications Center began receiving multiple 911 calls for a building fire in the 1900 block of East 9th. First arriving units found a two story “four-plex” apartment building with the roof and attic space fully involved. Crews immediately began ensuring all occupants were out of the structure and then attacked the fire. The fire was placed under control in approximately 45 minutes. All occupants of the apartment complex escaped without injury and there were no injuries to firefighters. The American Red Cross was contacted to assist with displacement of the occupants. The cause and origin of the fire remains under investigation by the Joplin Fire Marshal. Assistance was provided by METS Ambulance, the Joplin Police Department, and Joplin Public Works.” – JOPLIN FIRE

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Apartment building fire in Joplin

JOPLIN, Mo. — Just after 5:30 a.m. Thursday morning Joplin E-911 Dispatch received multiple reports of an apartment building fire at 1921 E 9th.

Flames were visible above the neighborhood that lies along the north side of the railroad tracks at 9th and Connecticut.  Kids in this neighborhood attend Eastmorland Elementary School.

“First arriving units found a two story ‘four-plex’ apartment building with the roof and attic space fully involved,” Joplin Fire state in a media release. “Crews immediately began ensuring all occupants were out of the structure and then attacked the fire.”

Chief Gerald Ezell of the Joplin Fire Dept tells us that everyone was accounted for and out of the building.

The temps are cooler, about 60 degrees, and the wind strong, 15 mph, fanning the flames.

Fire was declared under control in about 45 minutes.

The Joplin Fire Marshal was on the scene before 7:30 a.m. Joplin Fire state, “The cause and origin of the fire remains under investigation.”

Fire was declared out at 8:27 a.m. by Joplin Fire 9th Street Command.

The American Red Cross was contacted to assist with displacement of the occupants.

This is a breaking news story, stay with Joplin News First on KOAM News Now as we continue to learn more.

| MORE JOPLIN NEWS FIRST
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• Joplin City Council regular meeting 9.20.22 BIT.ly/3LsH9Kv
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View this profile on Instagram

 

Joplin News First (@joplinnewsfirst) • Instagram photos and videos