Missouri Sen. Jean Carnahan's House Catches Fire; Authorities Report No Injuries

By David Scott Associated Press Writer Published: Sep 9, 2001

ROLLA, Mo. (AP) - Sen. Jean Carnahan's house caught fire Saturday night after an apparent lightning strike while she was inside, but no one was injured, officials said. The Democratic senator, who was home alone, "heard a noise," then "smelled something that didn't smell right and looked around, but didn't see anything," said Roy Temple, the senator's chief of staff. She called her brother-in-law and next-door neighbor, Bob Carnahan, and he saw the flames.

"She got out of the house. She was fine," Temple said of his boss, who later was staying with neighbors as firefighters worked to douse the fire and pinpoint its cause.

Chief Bruce Southard of the volunteer Rolla Rural Fire Protection District estimated the damage to the Carnahan family home at about $100,000. Most of the damage was on the second floor of the eight-room house, which sits about 100 yards from a gravel county road about 10 minutes southeast of Rolla.

"While I'm saddened to lose so many family treasures, I'm grateful that no one was injured," Carnahan said in a statement.

Capt. Geoff Heavin of the Rolla Rural Fire Protection District said unofficial reports indicate a lightning strike to the attic may have started the blaze, which was reported about 9:01 p.m.

"We got here, and once on scene, within about 10 minutes we had the bulk of the fire knocked out," Heavin said.

Most of the damage was caused by the roof falling in with about 90 percent of the contents on the second floor being destroyed, Heavin said.

The second floor contained hundreds of family photographs that were hung on the walls, chronicling the history of one of the state's leading contemporary political families. Carnahan's late father-in-law, A.S.J. Carnahan, was a member of Congress in the 1950s.

Jean Carnahan was elected to the Senate last November, just three weeks after her husband, Gov. Mel Carnahan, died in a plane crash along with the couple's eldest son, and a close aide to the governor.

The Democratic governor's name remained on the ballot because a deadline for changes had passed, and Jean Carnahan agreed to replace him if he outpolled the incumbent, Republican Sen. John Ashcroft.

Carnahan won, 50 percent to 48 percent. Jean Carnahan became senator, and Ashcroft became U.S. Attorney General months later.

AP-ES-09-09-01 0400EDT

-- Anonymous, September 09, 2001