Authorities say accelerant used in fire at nightclub

CARTHAGE, Mo. — The Jasper County Sheriff’s Department said Thursday that an apparent break-in at the Cadillac Ranch nightclub preceded a fire Tuesday that destroyed the interior of the club.

Lt. Aaron Richardson of the criminal-investigations division of the Sheriff’s Department said one of three doors to the club at 13244 County Road 138, north of Carthage, showed signs of forced entry. But that is not the only evidence investigators have that the fire was set intentionally.

“There was accelerant poured throughout the building in several different places,” Richardson said. “The obvious intent was to destroy the building.”

The fire was noticed by a passing motorist and reported at 3:49 a.m. Tuesday.

Richardson said investigators have been interviewing a number of people who were known to have been at a party Monday night at the club.

Richardson said all members of that party were believed to have left the premises by 12:30 a.m. Tuesday. The bar closed at 1:30 a.m., and the last employees left about 2 a.m., he said. He said bar operator John Parsons is believed to have closed the place for the night.

People who had been in the bar were being interviewed to determine if they saw or heard anything that might be useful in the arson investigation, Richardson said. A $5,000 reward for information is being offered by the state Division of Fire Safety. Five sheriff’s investigators and three state fire investigators are working the case.

The owner of the building has been identified as Jerry Rector. He was leasing the building to Parsons, the nightclub operator.