The structure at 308 W. Sixth St. is a total loss after catching fire Monday afternoon.
Ottumwa Fire Department Deputy Chief Cory Benge said the fire started on the outside of the house around 3 p.m., though no cause had been determined. The day’s winds helped the fire accelerate as crews headed to the scene, he said.
“It had quite a head start on us,” Benge said, with on-duty personnel already tied up at a car accident as well as a medical call when the fire call came in. “That delayed our response.”
The structure had been divided into three apartments with one of the units vacant, Benge said. Everybody from the other units made it out of the structure.
Benge said crews were not sure of that fact when they first arrived and did a sweep of the structure. Once it was confirmed no one was inside, they switched tactics to fighting the fire, at first from the inside.