(Okoboji)– We’re learning additional details into a fire Saturday that pretty much destroyed a historic residence on West Lake Okoboji. Arnolds Park-Okoboji Fire Chief Chris Yungbluth tells KUOO news firefighters were called a little after 1:30 to what’s known as “The Chateau” at 1503 Givens Street in Okoboji…
“So when firefighters first arrived we had smoke pushing pretty hard on the first floor and then on the second floor we could see flames through the windows on some of the second floor, as well as heavy smoke and heat. When firefighters made entry into the home they, it’s a big house. If anybody’s seen The Chateau it’s a big house. So they had a little trouble getting to the stairwell to get to the second floor where the bulk of the fire was, and then when they got to it the heat and smoke kept them from advancing on it until we got it ventilated and then they were able to get to the bulk of the fire and get it knocked down.”
Yungbluth says no one was in the home when the fire broke out and that the cause appears to have been accidental…
“Maintenance for the building had been in earlier to get things started. They got the water heaters flipped on and were getting things ready to go for the summer season in the house and they had left about 1:00, and then we received the call about 1:30.”
Yungbluth says the Spirit Lake Fire Department also responded to the scene…
“So with that big of a structure we needed folks to be available with air packs to kind of back up our crews as they were starting to run out of air and to give them a little break in between so we appreciate them coming down to help. We also had Lakes Regional there to do what we call rehab in the fire service which is firefighters take a little break to sit down, get some water because you use quite a bit in the exertion of firefighting.”
Yungbluth says the proximity of the homes in that area also posed a challenge…
“We actually had our aerial set up ready to go in case it did get progress a little further than we wanted it to and then we also had the fire boat on scene to provide protection. The closest house is literally probably less than a foot away roof line to roof line, to the next structure over.”
Firefighters were on the scene a couple of hours.
Yungbluth estimates the damage at between $300,000 and $400,000. He says most of the fire damage was on the second story with water and smoke damage throughout the first level.
