Massive fire destroys five buildings in Puxico, Missouri

PUXICO, Mo. (KBSI) — A devastating fire went through downtown Puxico early Saturday morning, engulfing three historic buildings and leaving much of the small town in shock. Fire crews from at least 10 different departments battled the flames from as far as Poplar Bluff for hours, contending not only with the intense blaze but also a emptied water supply.

Ted Luecke, a high school band teacher in Puxico, was among the many residents who came to witness the destruction firsthand.

“I saw videos of this on Facebook,” Luecke said. “And I just thought, I’ve got to get down here and check it out because, I mean, it’s a whole city block space. It’s practically half the town.”

The fire, which began around 5 a.m., quickly tore through several businesses, including the Midway Restaurant, Mark Crisel, Shelter Insurance, Larry Ward’s CPA office, and the Puxico Weekly Press. Two additional buildings, which had been renovated but were not yet occupied, were also destroyed.

Dee Loflin, owner of the Puxico Weekly Press, captured footage of the massive blaze as thick smoke flew into the sky.

“The Midway, which is our local restaurant, was fully engulfed,” Loflin said. “And then we lost three other businesses. Two other buildings were a total loss. They were hoping to put a business in there.”

As firefighters worked tirelessly to contain the fire, Puxico encountered a major issue, its water tower ran dry. Emergency crews had to improvise, retrieving water from nearby ponds and using tanker trucks to bring water back and forth to water reserves.

“We ran out of water in the city of Puxico trying to put out the fire,” Loflin said. “They’ve been going down to a couple of ponds and getting water, bringing it back, and dumping it into a reserve. That’s what all these different tank trucks have been doing, running back and forth, getting water.”

Despite the destruction, the community has already begun rallying together, offering food, water, and support to those affected.

“Any time there’s any type of devastation in your community, whether it be a tornado or a fire, small towns come together,” Loflin said.

She remains optimistic about the town’s future, believing that with community support, Puxico will rebuild.

“I’ve been in a few communities where we’ve had fires downtown,” she said. “People came out, they helped, they raised money, they rebuilt. They’re going to rebuild here. I’m pretty positive.”

Still, the sight of the fire left many stunned.

“It’s just devastating to see our downtown burning,” Loflin said.

As the town begins to assess the damage, the focus now shifts to recovery and rebuilding. Officials have not yet determined the cause of the fire.