A home on Trails End Court sustained substantial damage when a fire broke out in the basement Monday, March 4, according to Fire Chief Ron MacKnight of the Wright City Fire Protection District. Firefighters were dispatched shortly before 4:30 a.m. to the residence at 12468 Trails End Court. The first unit arrived within three to four minutes of the first alarm being sounded, MacKnight stated. Upon arrival, the occupants of the home were outside and there was smoke coming from the basement, MacKnight said. “Our crews entered and got the fire knocked down pretty quickly,” MacKnight said.The fire was confined to the basement. “There was a lot of heat and a lot of smoke,” said MacKnight. An estimate on the cost of the damage to the structure was not available. There were no injuries. Fire damage was limited to a bedroom where the fire was determined to have started, MacKnight said. The basement area also sustained heat, smoke and water damage. There also was smoke damage throughout the structure. Investigators attributed the cause of the fire to an overloaded extension cord, according to McKnight. “We want to remind people of the dangers of overloading extension cords,” McKnight remarked. He added that people should make sure any appliance connected to an extension cord doesn’t exceed the recommended wattage rating of the cord. Firefighters from Wright City were assisted by units from fire departments at Warrenton and Wentzville. Crews were on the scene for approximately three hours, MacKnight said. A crew from the Lincoln County Fire Protection District was moved up to Wright City’s Station 3 to cover additional calls while firefighters were at the Trails End Court alarm.