Everyone was already out of the house at 812 S. 16th St. as crews got there around 6:15 p.m., said Fire Capt. Jeff Hill.

“When we arrived there was black smoke coming out the door and out of the chimneys on the roof, so we initiated a fast attack,” Hill said. “Our entry crew went inside, did a search, went down the basement and found a fire burning in the basement. They were able to put it out very quickly.”

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, he said.

“The occupant of the house was able to get himself, along with a cat, out of the house. On our arrival, we did a search of the house just to make sure everybody was out, and they were,” Hill said. “It is a duplex house. The front duplex is the part that sustained fire and smoke damage. The back duplex right now doesn’t appear that it sustained any damage.”

-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Fort Dodge Firefighters carry a portable fan inside to continue putting out the fire at 812 S. 16th St. The fire in the basement caused smoke and fire damage to the front of the duplex, while leaving the rear apartment mostly undamaged.

Thankfully, the firefighters were able to arrive before the fire had grown too much.

“If it was even a few more minutes, the fire will double and triple in size really fast, so if you can get here quick and put it out quick, the outcome’s always a lot better,” he said.