By Echo Menges
Late Wednesday night, November 11, 2020, firefighters responded to a structure fire at the Milkweed Mercantile at the Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. The restaurant, bed and breakfast is located approximately 1.25 miles northwest of Rutledge, MO.
According to Rutledge Volunteer Firechief Javi Gil, firefighters was called out at approximately 11:30 p.m. after a neighbor walking by noticed the building was on fire.
The Gorin Volunteer Fire Department also responded the call and aided by bringing an extra thermal imaging unit.
“It was likely a furnace fire or electrical fire with extension to the building. There was some water damage to the basement and a small section of the outerwall. The Mercantile (was built using alternative) strawbale construction. It stood up to it,” said Rutledge Firechief Javi Gil. “I believe the fire was burning for at least an hour before it was discovered. It only burned a three by three-foot section of the wall. Basically, it was smoldering. There were only flames when we breeched the wall. Once we breeched, there was a rush of oxygen and we could see open flames.”
No injuries were reported in the fire. One person is believed to have been inside when the fire started, however, that person made it out of the building before the fire crews arrived.
Firefighters were on the scene of the fire until approximately 2:30 p.m.
