George, Iowa — A house was destroyed in a fire on Sunday, December 1, 2024, in George.
According to George Fire Chief Bill Sprock, at about 2:00 p.m., the George Fire Department was called to the report of a house fire at 506 East Minnesota Avenue in George.
The chief says the fire department saw the east side of the house fully engulfed in flame as they approached the scene. He says they used water and foam to fight the fire.
Sprock says the homeowner and his wife were taken to Avera Rock Rapids by Lyon County Ambulance. The homeowner had an injury to his hand.
The fire department was assisted by the Little Rock Fire Department, which provided manpower and water , the George Emergency Medical Service, and the Lyon County Ambulance Squad.
He says the cause of the fire appeared to be electrical in nature. He believes it was caused by wiring for a space heater they kept on the porch to keep the pipes for the washing machine from freezing. But it could also have been caused by the clothes dryer, says Sprock.
Chief Sprock reports that the home was totaled in the blaze due to smoke and fire damage. He says the home is not livable at the time, and the occupants are staying with family in town.
He says the firefighters who responded were on the scene for about five and a half hours.
Two George-Little Rock students lived in the home, and the school district is holding a clothing drive for them. If you would like to drop off donations of clothing and personal items for the students, you may do so at either GLR site — George or Little Rock. They are looking for boy size 14/16 and for the girl, women’s small/tall.
Sprock reminds people that space heaters really aren’t the best idea. He says most homes, especially older ones do not have robust-enough wiring to handle the heavy electricity demands of a space heater, so the wiring gets hot and could start a fire.
