MUSCATINE, Iowa – A Muscatine home was damaged during a kitchen morning fire Tuesday (Jan. 18).
The Muscatine County Joint Communications Center (Muscom) received a call at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday of a stove fire at 2810 Broadlawn. Units from the Muscatine Fire Department (MFD) found that the fire had spread throughout the kitchen when they arrived on scene but were able to gain control within five minutes.
While on scene, MFD turned off the electric and gas to the residence as they battled the fire, but some of those utilities were restored ahead of the expected frigid temperatures later this week.
An inspector from the City of Muscatine worked along with Muscatine Power & Water (MPW) staff to determine what, and how much, of the utilities could be restored to prevent more damage to the home due to the expected low temperatures later this week.
One civilian received a minor injury during the fire. There were no injuries to first responders. The Muscatine Police Department assisted at the scene. The Red Cross and 1-800-BoardUp are providing victim assistance.
This is the second residential fire in one week resulting from a stove fire. The National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) recommends residents should remain alert while cooking (never coo while sleepy or after having consumed alcohol), stay in the kitchen while frying, grilling, boiling, or broiling food, and keep anything that can catch fire (oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels, or curtains) away from the stovetop.
With the expected cold temperatures, residents are also reminded that if they use secondary heating sources (fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater) to keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from the heating equipment, plug portable space heaters into a wall outlet, and never use extension cords or power strips that may overheat and cause a fire.
Residents are reminded that working smoke detectors save lives, and to call 9-1-1 to report the fire while safely exiting the structure. Please let the first responders do their job and do not waste time or risk your safety trying to put out the fire.
Home Heating Safety Tips
Cooking Safety Tips
About the Muscatine Fire Department:
The Muscatine Fire Department provides fire and emergency medical services, rescues (high angle, rope, water, etc.), building inspections, and public education for the City of Muscatine, and the surrounding unincorporated areas of Muscatine County with a combined population of 43,000 across 145 square miles while also providing HAZMAT for Muscatine, Louisa, Washington, Keokuk, and Henry counties. MFD firefighters and paramedics responded to 5,238 calls in 2019. The Muscatine Fire Department began as a volunteer fire company on January 7, 1875 and was established as a full-time department in January 1916. The Muscatine Fire Department ambulance service received the 2012 Career Ambulance service of the Year Award from Iowa Emergency Medical Services.
These new charges stem from the continued investigation into West and his activities. MPD investigators have reason to believe that West allegedly committed several sex acts with a child under the age of 12 during 2020.