Hawarden, Iowa — A business building in downtown Hawarden was extensively damaged in a fire on Monday, March 27, 2023 and six fire departments fought the blaze.
According to Hawarden Fire Chief Duane Schiefen, at about 11:10 a.m., the Hawarden Fire Department was called to the report of a structure fire in the 800 block of Central Avenue in Hawarden.
The chief says the fire department saw smoke coming out of both the front and rear of the Big Sioux Screen Printing building as they approached the scene. He says they used an interior attack to fight the fire.
Schiefen says no injuries were reported.
The fire department was assisted by the Ireton, Akron, and Sioux Center, Iowa; and Hudson and Alcester, South Dakota fire departments. One of the trucks the Sioux Center department brought was their aerial truck.
He says the cause of the fire is undetermined.
Chief Schiefen reports that there was extensive damage. There was also smoke damage in adjacent buildings, according to Schiefen, some of which had smoke damage from the Central Café fire a little over a year ago, in the final days of 2021. There is only one building between the café and the screen printing shop. The in-between building had recently changed into a clothing store.
He says the firefighters who responded were on the scene for about three hours and 40 minutes.
