A house fire near Bland on Monday afternoon is under investigation by the State Fire Marshal as a suspected arson case although charges had yet to be filed as of Tuesday afternoon.

According to Bland Fire Protection District Chief Mark Davis, his agency got the call around 1 p.m. for a house fire in the 3700 block of Route A, just north of Bland. Sheriff’s deputies arrived along with firemen and observed smoke and flames emitting from the residence, according to Gasconade County Sheriff Scott Eiler. During the investigation of the fire, Eiler noted it was determined the cause of the fire was suspicious and Missouri Department of Public Safety Division of Fire Safety personnel were called to investigate the cause.

Other local agencies assisted with the blaze after several Bland firefighters experienced heat-related fatigue. No injuries were reported by either firefighters or people at the scene.

“The fire service right now is short-staffed with every department there is,” Davis said. “We do need to have mutual aid companies come in and assist us when we have a structure fire or a large fire. That’s why we have a statewide mutual aid system set up; to accommodate for extra personnel, extra equipment. A lot of the time it is for extra personnel so we can relieve the guys who are doing the interior firefighting.”

The home and all the property inside were a total loss. Davis said the homeowner was offered support by the American Red Cross though they declined it at the time. The State Fire Marshal stepped in to handle the investigation because that is the standard procedure when the homeowner is present for the fire.

Sheriff’s deputies also conducted their investigation by speaking with the occupants who reside at the residence. While speaking with one white female, she was taken into custody for an outstanding arrest warrant issued on behalf of the Belle Police Department. The female was transported to the Maries County Jail in Vienna on the outstanding warrant, according to Eiler.

Once the fire was extinguished, the State Fire Marshal’s investigator determined the fire’s cause would be ruled as arson. The state investigator responded to the Maries County Jail to conduct an interview with the female subject.  After the interview, the State Fire Marshal’s investigator placed the woman on a 24-hour hold pending an application for an arrest warrant alleging arson.

According to the Maries County Sheriff’s Office, Gasconade deputies arrested Samantha Glosser, 29, on a warrant from Belle and brought her to the Maries County Jail, where she was placed on a 24-hour hold. Maries County Chief Deputy Scott John said Glosser agreed to a Computer Voice Stress Analyzer (CVSA) interview. The CVSA detected deception, and during the interview, Glosser confessed to starting the fire.