At approximately 7:45 p.m., fire crews were called out to the Palace Park Mobile Home Community.

According to Fort Dodge Fire Department Chief Steve Hergenreter, the fire began in the home’s kitchen.

“The owner and her daughter were in there and they smelled the smell of gas and the daughter went and investigated it and found the leak to be in the area of the stove — it smelt stronger there,” he said. “She went to go move the stove and it burst into flames. So there must have been some type of natural gas leak that found an ignition source.”

The owner and her daughter were able to exit the home without injuries. A family cat remained trapped inside and perished.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
A Fort Dodge Fire Department firefighter sprays water on a pile of debris taken out of a mobile home at 1338 Third Ave. N.W., Unit 113, Sunday night. A fire caused by a gas leak in the kitchen broke out around 7:45 p.m.

“It burned fast; it was a gas-fed fire,” Hergenreter said. “They were lucky to get out of the house.”

The Fort Dodge Fire Department brought 12 crew members to extinguish the fire.

“We got in and knocked it down pretty fast,” Hergenreter said. “It was starting to grow rapidly and the trailers are so close together, so it’s just important for us to get in and get it stopped.”

MidAmerican Energy was on scene to turn off electricity and gas lines to the home.

The trailer home is a total loss, the chief said, with heavy fire damage toward the front half and heavy smoke and heat damage throughout the rest.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
A mobile home at 1338 Third Ave. N.W., Unit 113, was heavily damaged by a fire caused by a gas leak on Sunday night.

FDFD was assisted by the Fort Dodge Police Department and MidAmerican Energy. The American Red Cross was called to help the occupants of the home.