A Cape Girardeau man who helped save his fellow residents from an apartment building fire early Monday morning said he did what any good neighbor would have done in that situation.

"That was about the most exciting thing I've ever done," said Johnny Brown Jr., who was moving to another apartment building Monday afternoon. "Helping them was something I just had to do."

Before Cape Girardeau fire crews arrived at Village on the Green apartments near the Show Me Center shortly after 5 a.m., Brown was assisting with the rescue of three female residents of the building at 7 Village Drive. Brown and another resident helped lift the females down from a window on the second level of the building, which had a basement on the first level.

Fire crews rescued the only resident who had not yet escaped from the second floor of the three-level structure.

Ramsey said the fire initially had moderate black smoke coming from the front side on all levels of the building. Crews contained the fire about 15 minutes after arriving on the scene.

Jackson and Scott City fire departments were called in for mutual aid while crews battled the blaze.

The fire was ruled suspicious, but Ramsey did not elaborate on why because it is an ongoing investigation. Cape Girardeau police were called to the scene to assist.

He said the apartment had smoke detectors but they were not working because the batteries were dead.

Damage was estimated at $25,000.

bblackwell@semissourian.com

243-8600

Pertinent address:

7 Village Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO