Alton, Iowa — A minivan was destroyed in a fire on Monday, April 8, 2024, near Alton.
According to Alton Fire Chief Quintin Van Es, at about 10:10 a.m., the Alton Fire Department was called to the report of a vehicle fire at 4260 440th Street, a couple of miles northeast of Ashton.
The chief says the fire department saw the minivan fully engulfed as they approached the scene. He says they used water and foam to fight the fire. He says a gas leak meant the fire kept reigniting, so they applied about five gallons of foam, which snuffed out the fire.
Van Es says no injuries were reported. He says those who were there were loading hogs when they saw smoke coming from the minivan, so 911 was called. He says as far as they can tell, no one was near the vehicle when the fire started.
The fire department was assisted by the Orange City Fire Department and Alton Ambulance Squad.
He says the cause of the fire is undetermined due to the extent of damage, but it definitely started not under the hood but in the passenger compartment.
Chief Van Es reports that the minivan was totaled.
He says the firefighters who responded were on the scene for about 40 minutes.
