96-year-old woman identified as victim of intentionally set house fire in rural Missouri
A 96-year-old woman was identified as the victim of a fire in Caldwell County that authorities believe was intentionally set.
Lorene Fickess was killed in one of three fires Tuesday near Polo, Caldwell County Sheriff Mitchell Allen said at a news conference Wednesday. The town is about 50 miles northeast of Kansas City.
“A lot of family were present at the scene,” Allen said. “They’re disturbed, hurt ... Shocked that something like this could happen.”
The first fire was reported at about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday at a house near Southwest State Route D and Southwest Colt Drive in rural Polo, according to the sheriff’s office. The house was engulfed in flames, which prevented firefighters from getting inside. After the flames were extinguished, Fickess was found dead inside the house. Her body was transported to Jackson County for an autopsy report.
Authorities responded to two more house fires on Tuesday over the next two hours along the same road. Both homes were abandoned, Allen said.
Firefighters arrived at the second fire at 9:40 a.m on State Route D and Southwest Mirabile Drive. Shortly after, they called Missouri State Highway Patrol for assistance in patrolling for more houses on fire.
The blaze was close to Mirabile C-1 School and students were evacuated, Allen said.
An hour later, firefighters responded to the third fire, which was about one mile north on Southwest State Route D and State Route HH.
Members of the fire marshal found evidence of arson inside the three homes, Allen said.
The warm conditions made fighting the fires more difficult, Allen said, and one firefighter was transported to a hospital due to the heat. He said firefighters from departments in Polo, Hamilton and Kingston stepped in to help.
“It’s definitely taken its toll on the local fire departments, but in these small communities everyone pitches in,” Allen said.
James Colyer, who lives in Caldwell County, said he was concerned about the fires. He fears that the community’s group of volunteer firefighters will have difficulty keeping up if more blazes are set because residents live so far from one another.
“I haven’t heard of anything like this,” he said. “This is new for us.”
A fire Wednesday morning to the west in Lexington does not appear to have any connection to the Polo fires, Allen said.
The investigations are ongoing, Allen said.
Police are looking for a man driving a black SUV with tinted windows, which neighbors say was seen near each of the three homes at the time of the fires. It is a dark, 4-door passenger vehicle, potentially a Dodge Caliber.
Anyone with information on the fires is asked to call the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office at 816-586-2681.
This story was originally published May 11, 2022 at 1:00 PM.
