Oskaloosa Firefighters Get Quick Stop On House Fire

Oskaloosa Fire Department

Oskaloosa, Iowa – Oskaloosa Fire Chief Mark Neff said that his department got a quick stop on a house fire in the 400 block of North 4th Street.

The call came in shortly after 2:15 pm, on Tuesday, July 18, with reported smoke in the residence.

“When the first engine arrived, they had smoke and some visible flames”, reported Neff. “They made a quick interior attack. The guys got a good interior stop on it.”

It’s that interior work that caught one Oskaloosa firefighter by surprise. The home is currently undergoing renovation, and an HVAC hole in the floor wasn’t covered. The firefighter stepped into that hole twisting an ankle.

The firefighter was checked out by the EMT’s on the scene and returned to duty.

Neff said damage to the home is approximate $10,000, with the cause of the fire still under investigation.

“There’s nothing suspicious,” added Neff. “We know where it started.”