Family Alerted To Fire By Smoke Detector

Oskaloosa firefighters battled flames for over 4 hours on Monday morning at a residence located at 307 N C Street in Oskaloosa.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – Firefighters responded to 307 N C Street in Oskaloosa shortly after 5 am with the report of a back porch on fire.

Homeowner Tiburcio Chavez and his family escaped the fire when alerted by a smoke detector of the danger.

The cause of the fire has been ruled accidental and is being blamed on an overloaded electrical circuit on the back porch.

The home and its contents received severe fire, smoke, and water damage, and the house will be a total loss, says a report from the Oskaloosa Fire Department.

Damage is estimated to be approximately $125,000.

Thirteen firefighters from Oskaloosa, New Sharon, and Cedar Township were on the scene for four-and-a-half hours.

Also assisting at the scene was Mahaska County Emergency Management, Oskaloosa Police Department, and Mahaska Health Partnership Emergency Services.