LEXINGTON, Mo. — Lexington, Mo., firefighters pulled an elderly couple out of a burning home early Friday morning, but both residents, Nick Deamos, 84, and Maxine Deamos, 79, both died.
When firefighters arrived at about 6:10 a.m., the home was in full flames. Police evacuated people from their homes around it.
“I opened my bathroom window and I saw all this smoke and I tried to get my hose out and spray, but a hose wasn’t going to do very much,” Ronnie Wilson, the Deamos’ next door neighbor, said.
The Deamos’ were well known in town. Maxine worked at a hospital and Nick was a tax preparer and also a Korean War veteran.
“Everybody knew him so they keep driving by and they’re all sick and saddened by it,” Lexington Chief of Police Don Rector said. “I had the privilege of knowing both of them. He did my taxes and were my friends and I feel sorry for the family and it’s a tragedy.”
The fire marshal has been called in to investigate the cause. Lexington is about 45 minutes east of Kansas City.
