Daily Newsletters
Account
Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
‘Significant’ damage after Washington house fire
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
WASHINGTON — A handful of area fire departments swarmed to the corner of North Iowa Avenue and West Fifth Street in Washington Monday afternoon, where smoke could be seen billowing out of a residential building as much of its second-story, west-facing wall was visibly charred.
The fire happened at 505 North Iowa Avenue, a few blocks north of downtown, and across the street from Mose Levy Co. Washington City Administrator Joe Gaa said the smoldering building was once a single-family home, but was renovated to provide multiple apartments inside.
The interior layout may have made Monday’s fire harder to put out, however.
“It’s got all these chopped up walls that they keep finding active fire in, upstairs,” Gaa said, watching the fire response from street-level Monday afternoon.
Washington County’s GIS record said the structure was built in 1911, but later converted into a set of four apartments, with as many bedrooms and bathrooms. Washington Fire Chief Brendan DeLong said a total of 12 people lived inside.
In an email Monday night, DeLong said all the fire damage was confined to apartment number four, adding that other parts of the building suffered “significant” losses to smoke and water damage.
He added that the fire likely started on a deck of the home’s the third story, but said officials were still working to determine the cause. DeLong also said he was grateful for mutual aid from other area fire departments, given the conditions of Monday afternoon’s response.
“The fire was on the third story, so the firefighters had to climb three flights of stairs to get to the seat of the fire. It was a difficult one given the construction of the house,” he said, later adding that, “The temperature today and humidity really took its toll on our firefighters, which makes mutual aid all more important.”
Officials reported no injuries from the blaze, but former apartment resident Alex Bright said on social media that four pets died in the fire which also destroyed most of the units contents. A GoFundMe page was launched for Bright and his roommate Monday night.
Emergency response departments visible on the scene Monday afternoon included fire departments from Washington, Keota, Ainsworth, Wayland, Kalona and Riverside, as well as the Washington County Ambulance service and Washington Police Department.
Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com
