(Arnolds Park)—No injuries were reported in a house fire this (Fri.) afternoon in Arnolds Park.
Arnolds Park-Okoboji Fire Chief Chris Yungbluth tells KUOO news firefighters were called to 284 Kruse Beach Road just east of Table 316 Restaurant around 2:30 p.m…(click here for comment.) “Upon arrival we found the house fully charged with smoke. We started getting into the home once we had enough firefighters to do a safe entry, did a quick search on the main floor and didn’t find any victims or fire. Ended up going into the basement and found the fire in the northwest basement room. We were able to extinguish it fairly quickly.”
Yungbluth says while fire damage was limited, that there was quite a bit of smoke damage to the home…(click here for comment.) “There’s pretty significant smoke damage throughout the whole residence. In fact I think the fire had been burning for several hours prior to us getting called to it, to the point actually where I think it was kind of snuffing itself out until we opened some doors and windows to make entry into the home and the fire flared back up. We were able to locate it and extinguish it.”
Yungbluth says they had the fire put out in less than a half hour.
He says the cause was traced to a dehumidifier in the basement…(click here for comment.) “It was sitting up on a counter top and there were some cupboards right above it the fire spread to.”
Yungbluth says no one was home at the time, adding the homeowners are from out of town. He says the smoke was discovered by a neighbor who called 911.
Yungbluth says they requested assistance for manpower from the Milford Fire Department, but canceled that after determining the scope of the fire.
He says a portion of Iowa Street had to be closed to traffic. It has since re-opened.
