(Arnolds Park)– A couple of lakes area fire departments were kept busy last evening. Two fires occured within hours of each other…and officials say they were both related to the hot weather.
Arnolds Park/Okoboji Fire Chief Steve Dulin tells KUOO news his department was called to the Okoboji Middle School around 6:45 last evening. Dulin says an overhead electric service line overheated and melted. The line dropped onto a storage shed at Fillenwarth Beach Resort…starting some shingles on fire. Firefighters quickly extinguished it and damage was minimal. The line was connected to a pole next to the school…which was undamaged. The downed line knocked out power to a group of cottages at Fillenwarth Beach for about two hours. Firefighters were at the scene about a half-hour.
A couple of hours later, the Milford Fire Department was called to a house fire at the Dale Johnson residence at 1001 “L” Avenue. Fire Chief Don Eckard says an extension cord being used to power an air conditioner overheated and started a floor in a closet on fire. The blaze was contained to the closet and was quickly extinguished. Some smoke damage was reported throughout the house. The Johnsons were home at the time. Eckard says they had been in the basement and noticed smoke when they came upstairs. A smoke detector then went off. The Milford Fire Department was at the scene about 45 minutes last night.
No injuries were reported in either fire.
