Sanbon, Iowa — A house was destroyed in a fire early on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, near Sanborn.
According to Sanborn Fire Chief Randy Lyman, at about 12:25 a.m., the Sanborn Fire Department was called to the report of a house fire on Sorrel Avenue, two miles east and a mile and a half north of Sanborn.
The chief says the fire department saw fire from the roof as they approached the scene. He says firefighters first tried an interior attack, but when they got upstairs to see if could get into the attic, the roof started caving in. He says they switched to an exterior attack at that point and called for assistance from the Sheldon Fire Company’s aerial truck.
Lyman says no injuries were reported. He says it the home is a group home for people who work at Van Ess Dairy.
The fire department was also assisted by the Melvin and Hartley fire departments, who brought water to the scene.
He says the cause of the fire appeared to be electrical in nature.
Chief Lyman reports that the house was totaled. He says Van Es Dairy has made other living arrangements for the occupants of the house.
He says the firefighters who responded were on the scene until nearly 5:00 a.m. or for nearly five hours.
