Alton, Iowa — Firefighters from Alton and Orange City responded to a call of a fire in a residential basement about three miles south of Alton early Monday morning.
Alton Fire Chief Quinton Van Es tells KIWA the homeowners had evacuated the premises prior to the fire department’s arrival. The homeowners were apparently awakened by smoke, and sounded the alarm, according to Van Es.
The Chief says there were no flames or smoke visible in the pre-dawn hours when firefighters arrived on scene, but when they made their way inside the structure they discovered the home was filled with heavy smoke. Van Es says firefighters discovered the source of the blaze in the basement of the home.
Chief Van Es tells KIWA firefighters determined the fire had been caused by a short in an extension cord in the home’s basement. Heat from the blaze melted a solder joint on a copper water pipe, which then leaked onto the flames, preventing the blaze from spreading past its point of origin.
According to Chief Van Es, the homeowners in this situation were very fortunate that the smell of smoke woke them up, and were lucky that the fire caused a pipe to leak helping prevent more widespread fire damage to the home. He says the majority of the damage to the residence appears to be from the heavy smoke.
Alton firefighters were assisted at the scene by the Orange City Fire Department, Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, and Alton Ambulance.
