Rock Rapids, Iowa — A Rock Rapids family is without a home after a fire on Thursday, November 2, 2023, in Rock Rapids.
According to Rock Rapids Fire Chief Ed Reck, at about 5:00 a.m., the Rock Rapids Fire Department was called to the report of a furnace fire at 402 South Greene Street in Rock Rapids.
The chief says the fire department saw lots of smoke rolling out of the house as they approached the scene. He says they entered the home and found the fire in the basement furnace area. He says it was hard to fight as there was fire embedded in the walls.
Reck says no injuries were reported. He tells us the George Fire Department provided automatic mutual aid.
He says the cause of the fire appeared to be a furnace malfunction.
Chief Reck reports that there was major damage. He says it would be impossible to live in the home the way it was, and it would take massive renovations to make it suitable for living in again. Reck says they connected the family with the resources in Rock Rapids to help families in situations like this.
He says the firefighters who responded were on the scene until about 8:30 a.m.
