Fort Dodge Fire Department Capt. Jeff Hill said that when crews arrived at 209 First Ave. S. they found smoke along the home’s west wall and fire inside a corner room.

“A neighbor reported the fire,” he said. “There was fire inside when we got here.”

The fire in the unoccupied home was quickly brought under control.

“Our guys got in and got ahead of it.” Hill said.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Fort Dodge Fire Department Capt. Jeff Hill looks over a burning home at 209 First Ave. S. to decide the best route of attack on the blaze for crews about to enter the house to put out the fire.

Hill said the cause of the fire remains under investigation. There was fire damage in the basement, first floor and some on the second floor, in addition to smoke and water damage.

The Webster County Assessor’s Office lists the home as being owned by Casady Patterson. It was constructed in 1891.

Hill is proud of the response the second alarm for more firefighters got. A second alarm requests five additional firefighters.

“We’ve got 10 on duty,” he said. “We got almost that many who came back.”

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Fort Dodge firefighters work in an upstairs room at 209 First Ave. S. Sunday afternoon as they put out the last few hot spots at a house fire.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Fort Dodge firefighter Roger Porter, at top, along with another firefighter work to remove siding from a home at 209 First Ave. S. Sunday afternoon after a fire caused extensive damage to the home.