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HOWARD COUNTY, MO. -- Update: Oct. 26 at 12:55 p.m.:

Howard County Sheriff Charlie Polson said the fire is still under investigation.

Polson said there were materials found outside of the home that were consistent with someone making drugs, but that most items inside the trailer were burned and so far, none of that evidence has been related to drug involvement. 

According to Polson, if the fire was drug-related, the homeowner could be charged because officers got sick on scene.

The fire is still under investigation.

Original Story:

Hazardous materials officials and drug enforcement agents are on the scene of a fire at this hour in Southern Howard County.

Fire destroyed a trailer on Highway Z in the Petersburg area about 10 p.m. Monday night where 12 firefighters and a sheriff’s deputy got sick from the fumes.

A Howard County firefighter was brought to a Columbia hospital by helicopter after breathing smoke and chemicals from the trailer.  12 firefighters and a sheriff’s deputy who got sick from the fumes are now safe at home.  State Fire Investigators are trying to determine if there were any illegal materials in the trailer that could cause illness.

Howard County Sheriff Charlie Polson said, “When you have a house fire there are always toxic fumes that come off from any kind of fire.  This is kind of a unique incident where this many people got sick and had ill side effects from it.  We’re treating it as a hazardous scene, right now.”

Authorities are not releasing the name of the owner of the trailer who was not home at the time of the fire.  Investigators said they contacted the owner who agreed to be questioned.

Firefighters at the scene said they smelled an unusual odor as flames poured out of both sides of the trailer.  They described the smell as acid-like.  One of the firefighters passed out after breathing fumes.

Howard County Fire District Board President David Kunze said, “It was kind of a flu-like illness.  They started out with a scratchy throat and cough.  It just got worse and worse and worse.  They got disoriented and pale and everything.”

A state Haz-Mat Team is trying to determine if the area is safe while State Fire Marshals are trying to figure the cause of the fire.

Firefighters said some of the flames shot nearly 100 feet into the air.