SCHUYLER COUNTY, Mo.- A Memphis man has been charged in connection with a fire at a local convenience store that occurred on Thursday, March 6th, in Downing.
Court documents indicate that Irvin Martin Huber has been charged with a Class B felony of 1st Degree Arson and a Class E felony of Commission of a Fraudulent Insurance Act. The charges stem from a fire that significantly damaged The Cheese Post. Huber is registered with the Missouri Secretary of State’s office as the owner of the business.
According to investigators with the Missouri Division of Fire Safety, the Downing Fire Department was called to the scene of a reported structural fire at The Cheese Post just after 7:30 pm on the evening of March 6th. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered heavy smoke and moderate fire inside the store. Residents of a nearby home had to be evacuated as fire fighters battled the blaze due to the proximity of an above-ground fuel tank located behind the business.
After the fire was extinguished, Fire Chief Brett Hayden requested assistance from the Missouri Division of Fire Safety to investigate the origin and cause of the fire. The investigation revealed that the origin of the fire was in a central office area. The cause was determined to be the lighting of combustible material in that area by a human with an open flame.
Following the state investigation, an electrical engineer with the involved insurance company examined the structural wiring in the area of the fire’s origin, as well as the electrical components of the refrigerator located near the origin of the fire. It was determined that neither the wiring nor the refrigerator were the cause of the fire.
During the investigation, security video was reviewed. That video captured Huber leaving and locking the front door of the store at approximately 7:30 pm the evening of the fire. About 35 seconds later, the video captures smoke visibly coming from the office area. During the original on-scene interview, Huber was asked by investigators if he had noticed any odd smells or anything out of the ordinary. He answered that he did not.
The arson charge carries a penalty ranging from a minimum of five years to a maximum of 15 years in prison, while the fraud charge carries a penalty ranging from one to four years in prison or a fine not to exceed $10,000, or a combination thereof.
A summons was issued to Huber on Friday. He is scheduled for an initial appearance in Schuyler County Associate Circuit Court on Wednesday at 1:30 pm. Judge Kelly Lovekamp will preside.
Irvin M. Huber of Memphis is charged with 1st Degree Arson and Commission of a Fraudulent Insurance Act in connection with a fire at the Cheese Post in Downing on March 6th.
(Photo from Huber's public Facebook page)
