Crews Rescue Resident from 3rd Floor Balcony After Pleasant Hill Apartment Building Catches Fire

Multiple fire departments were called out early Thursday morning to battle the flames at a Pleasant Hill apartment building and firefighters had to rescue a trapped resident from their third-floor balcony. Fire crews were called out to the Peterson Place Apartments at 770 North Pleasant Hill Blvd. around 1:30 a.m. According to Pleasant Hill Assistant Fire Chief Ryan Hill when they arrived heavy flames were seen coming from the third floor of the complex. Firefighters were able to contain the fire mainly to the west side of the building. Resident Montae Love told Channel 13’s Whitney Blakemore the fire started while he was cooking. “I go to drop my food in, I look up, there some little flames spurting above the microwave so I try to go and put it out…grab just a little bit of air motion, spread it across the ceiling and the ceiling just kind of blew up and just started blowing with smoke and everything."
WHO-TV NBC 13 Des Moines

Des Moines Apartment Building Destroyed in Blaze

VIDEO: A fire at the Willow Park Apartments on Des Moines’ south side early Thursday morning has left dozens of residents without a home. Fire crews were called to the scene at 6514 Chaffee Rd. around 12:15 a.m. and when they arrived flames were seen coming from the first and second floors with heavy smoke coming from the roof of the building. All of the residents were evacuated quickly, with many making sure their neighbors were out before exiting the building themselves. The flames engulfed the building and fire crews battled the blaze for hours. A similar fire at Willow Park Apartments happened in 2017, due to the building aging. Lt. Chris Bolton with the Des Moines Fire Department said, “It’s always concerning with these structures out here. The style of roof and it’s a non-sprinkler system. These were built before code got in to be able to get the sprinkler systems in here.”
WHO-TV NBC 13 Des Moines

Basement room catches fire in Charles City home

Emergency crews responded to a basement fire Wednesday in Charles City. A 911 call came in around 11:25 am about a house fire in the 900 block of 5th Avenue. Firefighters arrived at the scene to see smoke coming from the rear of the home, then entered the home and put out the flames that were largely confined to a basement room. About 15 firefighters responded to this call and it took them about 30 minutes to get the fire under control. One person who was in the home escaped and no injuries are reported. The Charles City Fire Department says there was fire and water damage to the basement room and major smoke damage throughout the home. The cause of this fire is under investigation. The Charles City Police Department, AMR Ambulance, Floyd County Emergency Management, Colwell Fire Department, Floyd Fire Department, and MidAmerican Energy all assisted with this incident.
KIMT-TV CBS 3 Mason City

Waterloo paramedics make response changes due to virus threat

Paramedics are stepping up their game as the number of coronavirus cases in Iowa grows. In a time of social distancing, ambulance workers don’t have the luxury of keeping back 6 feet as they tend to the sick and injured. The COVID-19 protocols begin before paramedics arrive on the scene. Dispatchers screen incoming calls, asking about possible respiratory symptoms, fevers and recent travel. Calls without the risk factors mean medics arrive with their normal gloves and eye protection. Patients presenting with risk factors mean face masks and other precautions. “If it’s anything related, they are putting a mask on the patient, and we are masking up, gowning up,” said Jason Hernandez, Waterloo Fire Rescue’s medical officer. The hospital also gets a call to ramp up its precautions as doctors prepare for the incoming patient.
Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier - Metered Site

Fire blazes through Fort Dodge field

What started as a ditch burn spiraled out of control on Hayes Avenue, turning into a field fire that ravaged most of the property’s 80 acres west of Fort Dodge Tuesday afternoon. Barnum Fire Department responded to a call at 1637 Hayes Ave. at approximately 2:45 p.m. Residents Joyce and Rich Lennon said the burn started as a way to help clear the ditch of litter. “The wind just picked it up and changed it,” Rich Lennon said, estimating an hour after it started that about 65-70 acres had been affected. “Fortunately, the fields around us were plowed.” The fire quickly gained a charge, producing a plume visible from miles away. He said the field, used for the Conservation Reserve Program, was planned to have prescribed burns in October and again this spring.
Fort Dodge Messenger

Obituary: Curt Newcomb, Former West Liberty Fire Chief

Curtis Charles Newcomb, 56, passed away Saturday March 28, 2020 at his home. A celebration of life will be held at a later date at the West Liberty Community Center. The Henderson-Barker Funeral Home in West Liberty is caring for Curt's family. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.hendersonbarkerfuneralhome.com. Memorials may be made to West Liberty Fire Department and Rescue Unit or Curt Newcomb Memorial Fund. Curt was born September 24, 1963 in Iowa City the son of Charles and Louise (Rabe) Newcomb. He a graduate of West Liberty High School in the Class of 1982 and received his Associates Degree in Electronics from Hamilton Tech College. On April 28, 1984 was united in marriage to Lisa Noring at the First Church United in West Liberty.
Henderson Barker Funeral Homes

2 people dead in Audubon County helicopter crash

A helicopter crashed Tuesday afternoon in Audubon County, about a mile away from the Guthrie County line. Responding crews from the Audubon and Exira Fire and Rescue Departments discovered the helicopter and field on fire due to a power line that was taken down during the crash. Officials said two people were killed in the crash. Both were from Minnesota. Investigators are waiting to identify the victims until family is notified. The investigation and determination is being handled by the FAA, assisted by the Iowa State Patrol Technical Investigation and the Audubon County Sheriff’s Office. Assisting Tuesday night was the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, Guthrie County EMA, Audubon County EMA, Audubon Fire & Rescue, Exira Fire Department and Audubon County Secondary Roads.
KETV-TV ABC 7 Omaha

Whiting firefighter answers the call for half a century

Back in 1969, a young Whiting firefighter responding to one of his first fire calls raced to town, in the process nearly losing control of his vehicle on a gravel road because of his speed. After the grass fire was extinguished and the firefighters had returned to the fire station, Floyd Crossley sat the young firefighter down to talk to him about his recklessness, which someone had observed and reported to him. Crossley said arriving a few seconds later wasn't going to make a big difference, and it was more important to arrive safely than not at all. "If you go in the ditch, you're of no use to us," Terry Bearce said
Sioux City Journal

Garrison firefighters design unique Easter egg hunt while being mindful of virus risks

A town in Benton County is working to have some Easter fun, despite the need for social distancing. The Garrison Fire Auxiliary created an Easter egg hunt, but it's a little different than you may be used to seeing. They colored and cut out paper eggs and placed them all over town. They are encouraging people of any age to go out and see how many they can find hidden in windows and storefronts. "They are scattered all over town, high and low. Some are a little tricky to find," Erica Flickinger, with the fire auxiliary, said. "We have a Facebook post, and once you think that you found all of them, you go and put your guess on there. The first one that is closest will get first prize and we have second and third prize as well." Organizers say the hunt is their way of helping people find some fun -- while distancing.
KCRG-TV ABC 9 Cedar Rapids