Calumet, Iowa– Some cats were lost and a shop was damaged in a fire on Wednesday, April 18, 2018, near Calumet.
According to Calumet Fire Chief Jayson Dau, about 11:15 a.m., the Calumet Fire Department was called to the report of smoke coming from a building at 6180 490th Street, about a half-mile southwest of Calumet.
The chief says the fire department saw a fire in the shop as they approached the scene. He says they used protective gear and put out the fire, then opened the overhead door to ventilate the building.
Dau says, unfortunately, some cats in the shop were lost in the fire. He says he thinks they were overcome by the smoke. No other injuries were reported.
He says the Calumet department was assisted by the Sutherland Fire Department.
The chief says the cause of the fire is undetermined but is believed to have been due to a malfunctioning outlet.
Chief Dau reports that there was moderate damage to the building, and said most of it was smoke damage.
He says they used about 500 gallons of water to fight the fire, and the approximately 12 firefighters were on scene for about an hour and forty-five minutes.
