SIOUX CITY FIREFIGHTERS CONTINUED TO POUR WATER INTO THE ROOF AREA OF THE IDA APARTMENTS FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
FIREFIGHTERS WERE DISPATCHED TO THE THREE STORY APARTMENT BUILDING AT 1901 PIERCE STREET AROUND 9 P.M. THURSDAY WHEN SMOKE WAS DISCOVERED ON THE 3RD FLOOR OF THE BUILDING.
LT. JOHN NELSEN, DEPUTY FIRE MARSHALL OF SIOUX CITY FIRE RESCUE SAYS THERE WERE STILL HOT SPOTS SMOLDERING 15 HOURS LATER:
IDA1 OC…….HOT SPOTS. :15
OVER 40 RESIDENTS FLED OUTSIDE INTO A RAIN AND SNOW MIX THURSDAY NIGHT, SOME WITHOUT COATS OR SHOES ON TO ESCAPE THE FIRE.
CITY BUSES WERE DISPATCHED TO THE SCENE TO TEMPORARILY PROVIDE SHELTER TO THE RESIDENTS AND A NEARBY CHURCH OPENED ITS DOORS:
IDA2 OC……..CIVILLIAN SIDE. :07
MOST OF THE RESIDENTS FLED WITHOUT ANY BELONGINGS AND THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RETRIEVE THEM.
NELSEN SAYS THE BUILDING WILL LIKELY BE A TOTAL LOSS:
IDA3 OC………TRAPPED INSIDE. :24
THE FIRE MAY HAVE STARTED ON THE 3RD FLOOR OR AN ATTIC AREA, BUT NELSEN SAYS AN EXACT CAUSE WON’T BE KNOWN FOR SOME TIME:
IDA4 OC…HAVE BEEN DISPLACED. :11
THE RED CROSS AND SALVATION ARMY ARE AMONG THE LOCAL AGENCIES HELPING THE DISPLACED RESIDENTS.
