Local man dies in Sunday fire

A Dexter man, 44-year-old Michael Henley, died Sunday evening in a fire at his residence on Jennings Lane, according to Fire Chief Don Seymore.

Firefighters responded to a call at 8:20 p.m., after a neighbor in the duplex apartment in which Henley lived witnessed smoke coming into their apartment from the adjoining unit.

Twenty-three firefighters arrived on the scene to find Henley dead of apparent smoke inhalation. Evidence at the scene indicated a cigarette had likely started the fire. The foam mattress had smoldered for some time, Seymore said, before the smoke drifted into the neighboring unit.

There was no evidence of a fire from outside the apartment building. Seymore said the interior of the unit sustained very little damage.

State Fire Marshall Butch Amann from Cape Girardeau was on the scene and determined Henley's death to be accidental.

Henley lived alone in the apartment, which is part of Dexter's Housing Authority just off of Business Highway 60.

The door to the apartment was locked when firefighters arrived. Maintenance personnel allowed firefighters access to the building.

The death of Michael Henley marks the first fatality as a result of a fire in the City of Dexter in 2012.