Sheldon, Iowa — The Sheldon Fire Company was called out twice in less than twelve hours Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. The first call was to the scene of a broken gas line, and the second to an apartment fire.
According to Assistant Fire Chief Brad Hindt, a gas line was hit in the alley behind 610 and 614 10th Street Wednesday evening, causing a strong gas odor inside the two residences. Hindt says MidAmerican Energy responded and tested the homes until they were at a safe gas level. Shortly before 9:15 MidAmerican requested the Sheldon Fire Company to respond to provide ventilation of the homes. Hindt says firefighters used ventilation fans to move fresh air into the homes until the air was clear of gas odor. Firefighters returned to the station at 10:30 Wednesday evening.
Then about 8:20 Thursday morning, Sheldon firefighters were summoned for an apartment fire at 405 Pine Street, on Sheldon’s northwest side. On arrival, Hindt says fire crews saw smoke coming out the front door of the apartment. Firefighters and Sheldon Police evacuated the other apartments in the building.
Upon entering the smoke-filled apartment, Assistant Chief Hindt says firefighters found smoke coming from a plastic storage tub in the corner of the living room of the unoccupied apartment. He says the fire was caused by spontaneous combustion of cleaning rags and supplies in the plastic tub, and has been ruled unintentional. The apartment received what Hindt describes as “heavy smoke damage” in the incident.
Sheldon firefighters were back at the station at approximately 9:30 Thursday morning.
