Sioux Center, Iowa — A pile of tire sidewalls was destroyed in a fire on Tuesday, May 12, 2020, near Sioux Center.
According to Sioux Center Firefighter Dale Vander Berg, about 2:45 p.m., the Sioux Center Fire Department was called to the report of a tire fire at 2533 410th Street, five and a half miles west of the Hy Vee corner on Highway 75 in Sioux Center.
Vander Berg says the fire department saw heavy black smoke and 10-15 foot flames as they approached the scene. In fact, Fire Chief David Van Holland says he was not near town, but could see the smoke from near Larchwood, which is almost 30 miles north. Vander Berg says at least the fire was confined to a cement pad. He says they used water to fight the fire and foam to cool the tires.
Firefighter Vander Berg says no injuries were reported.
The fire department was assisted by Rock Valley and Ireton fire departments.
He says the cause of the fire is undetermined.
Firefighter Vander Berg reports that around a couple hundred or so sidewalls were rendered basically useless, and a light pole was charred in the fire. He says the sidewalls were to place on top of plastic on bunker silage piles.
He says the firefighters who responded were on the scene for about an hour, and then it took about another hour to clean up. He says that there was no wind, which helped the firefighting effort.
Meanwhile, the Orange City Fire Department responded to a fire call on Jackson Avenue on Wednesday. Fire Chief Denny Vander Wel says the call went out about 10:15 a.m. for a fire in a hay feeder. He says the fire turned out to be a very small one and it started from embers from a trash pile. He says they put it out and we’re back in service in just a few minutes.
