Little Rock, Iowa — Some firefighters had to leave church in progress, after a hog barn was damaged in a flashover explosion on Sunday morning, November 9, 2025, near Little Rock.
According to Little Rock Fire Assistant Chief Tom Ver Steeg, at about 9:50 a.m., the Little Rock Fire Department was called to the report of a hog barn fire at 4134 120th Street, four miles west of Little Rock, two north, and a half west.
When they got there, the assistant chief says the fire department saw only steam. He says what happened was a momentary pit gas explosion, which melted some sections of the building a little. Manure pits give off flammable methane, which, in the right concentrations, can be explosive.
Assistant Chief Ver Steeg says ther were some hogs in the other side of the building, but no hogs were present, nor were there any injuries on the flashover side.
He says the most likely source of ignition was a heating unit. He says the ventilation in the area was poor and the pit was nearly full.
Chief Assistant Chief Ver Steeg reports that the damage was minor.
He says the firefighters who responded were on the scene for about a half an hour.
