MUSCATINE, Iowa — Two people and their dog were able to escape a house that caught on fire in the middle of the night.
Muscatine's Assistant Chief and Fire Marshal Mike Hartman said people who were driving in the 2900 block of Fairhaven Street saw a roof on fire around 4:15 a.m. on Thursday, February 20. The people tried to alert anyone inside but were unable to make contact.
Once emergency crews arrived, police were able to force the door open and the people inside, as well as their pet, were able to escape. They were not injured.
Flames were coming from the roof near the chimney, and firefighters put the fire out within about 10 minutes, said Hartman.
Crews remained on scene for several hours, however, because the insulation had been scorched and they wanted to make sure the fire didn't start up again.
About 18 firefighters responded to the fire.
The home's roof and attic will likely need to be replaced, said Hartman. The damage was estimated at about $30,000.
