(Arnolds Park)– Fire today (Monday) gutted a house in Arnolds Park. Arnolds Park-Okoboji Fire Chief Chris Yungbluth says they were called to 425 Emerald Drive around 11:50 am…
“Upon arrival of firefighters the structure was well involved in fire in a couple of different rooms. Firefighters immediately called for mutual aid assistance from Milford just because I wasn’t sure what I’d have for a daytime response. They arrived and assisted with manpower and an engine to be able to help hit some of the structure. We encountered some issues. Of course the cold weather doesn’t help any with fighting fires. And then the floor was burned out so we weren’t able to make entry into the structure to get to the areas of the fire that we needed to.”
The house is a total loss. Yungbluth tells us how the fire was discovered…
“There was, somebody had left for a short time and had returned home and found the structure on fire, called for help, and was able to get a pet out of the house and then escaped themselves with no injuries. I know the pet it sounds like is being treated by a vet currently. Any idea on a possible cause yet or where it originated? We know it originated in the dining room area of the home and the cause is still under investigation.”
Yungbluth adds the extreme cold played a role in fighting the fire…
“We did have some trouble changing out tanks and things like that on our SCBA’s. Our firefighters would go inside and get wet and then they’d come back out and their equipment would be frozen up. So we were trying to trade out equipment and keep firefighters warm as well throughout the incident.”
Firefighters were on the scene several hours. They were assisted by the Okoboji Police Department, Dickinson County Emergency Management and the Dickinson County Communications Center. An ambulance from Lakes Regional Healthcare also stood by on the scene as a precaution.
