AN EXPLOSION AND FIRE HAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED A HOME AND DAMAGED A SECOND DWELLING IN LE MARS.
THE BLAST OCCURRED AT A HOUSE ON THE CORNER OF 3RD STREET AND 4TH AVENUE SW AROUND 6:35 WEDNESDAY MORNING AND WAS HEARD THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF LE MARS.
THE HOUSE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES.
AN ADJACENT HOME HAD A SECTION TAKEN OUT BY THE EXPLOSION AND ALSO CAUGHT FIRE.
DEBRIS WAS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BLOCK.
THERE ARE REPORTS THAT THE LE MARS AMBULANCE TRANSPORTED SOMEONE TO FLOYD VALLEY HEALTHCARE, BUT NO OTHER DETAILS ABOUT POSSIBLE VICTIMS HAVE BEEN RELEASED.
THE FIRES ARE NOW UNDER CONTROL .
AMERICAN BANK IN LE MARS IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED BECAUSE OF THE BLAST TO ALLOW EMERGENCY CREWS TO WORK.
THE LE MARS FIRE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED ASSISTANCE FROM ORANGE CITY’S FIRE DEPARTMENT IN FIGHTING THE FIRES.
photos By John Slegers KLEM
