Recent Charles City house fires determined accidental

To The Press

Two house fires that Charles City and other area fire departments responded to recently have both been determined to have been caused accidentally.

The Charles City Fire Department responded to a fire in the 1800 block of Timber Avenue about 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 21.

Fire Chief Eric Whipple said a resident was cutting a pipe outdoors, and hot embers and sparks thrown by the cutting tool caused the home’s siding and insulation to catch fire, extending up the wall and into a void space, then spreading into the attic.

Firefighters were able to confine the fire mostly to the void areas, but there was some fire damage in the kitchen and in the wall closest to the exterior origin of the fire.

Whipple said there was moderate fire damage, light water damage and light to moderate smoke damage. The cause is considered accidental in nature.

The resident was checked by AMR ambulance on scene due to minor inhalation of smoke, but no other injuries were reported.

The Charles City department was assisted by the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, Floyd County Search and Rescue, the 911 Communications Center, and the Floyd and Colwell fire departments.

A house fire in the 400 block of Cedar Street in Charles City at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 24, was also determined to have been an accident.

Material from a rug over a heater grate in the floor melted, causing light to moderate smoke and smoke damage, Whipple reported. There were no injuries.

AMR ambulance, Floyd County Search and Rescue, Floyd County EMA, MidAmerican Energy, 911 Communications Center, Floyd Fire Department, and Colwell Fire Department assisted at the scene.