UPDATE, May 11 | The victim of the fatal fire Tuesday has been identified as 96-year-old Lorene Fickess, according to Caldwell County Sheriff Mitchell Allen.
Lexington Fire and Rescue reported another fire Wednesday around 30 miles from the original Tuesday fires.
They originally believed it could be connected to the same arsonist, but have since said the suspect vehicle does not match.
The suspect vehicle from Tuesday is a black Dodge Caliber, probably manufactured between 2006 and 2011.
ORIGINAL STORY, May 10 | The Caldwell County Sheriff's Office and Missouri State Fire Marshall's Office are investigating three fires that happened on Tuesday, one of which was deadly.
According to authorities, the fires, which appear to be arson, happened near Polo, Missouri.
The first happened at around 8:32 a.m. near Southwest State Route D and SW Colt Drive.
Crews responded to the fire, and a body was found inside the home.
Over the next two hours, fire crews also responded to two other fires on the same road.
Both of those houses were vacant.
KSHB 41 spoke with a man who lives down the road and didn't want to be identified. The man said he called the fire in.
“When I got down here, the front porch was fully engulfed and the fire was rolling," the man said. "I went to the back door and yelled for her and the smoke was billowing out the back door.”
Fire departments from Polo, Cameron, Lathrop, Hamilton, Kingston and Braymer all assisted in responding to the fires.
An initial investigation indicates the fires were set intentionally.
According to authorities, a dark, four-door vehicle was spotted near the area.
No license plate number was immediately available.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office at (816)-586-2681.
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