Iowa City Firefighters Help Evacuate Market Street Apartment Building Due to Wednesday Night Fire

A Market Street apartment building was evacuated Wednesday evening after a fire filled the building full of smoke.

At 6:20 p.m. last evening an Iowa City Fire Department truck was paged to a fire at 720 E. Market St. according to a department release. The firefighters responded with 4 engines, 1 ladder truck, and a Battalion Chief.

The first units there encountered heavy smoke conditions within the three-story apartment building, as people had already begun evacuating the building. 

MidAmerica was dispatched to the scene to assist, as well as Johnson County Ambulance. Iowa City Police secured the scene. Fire crews secured a water supply and entered the structure to attack the fire and complete a search for occupants who needed assistance. One occupant was removed from the structure, and it was declared All Clear shortly after, according to the release.

The fire was brought under control in roughly 15 minutes, with fire crews remaining on the scene for roughly two hours. Occupants were allowed back into their apartments after the fire department was finished.

The damage to the apartment is estimated at $2,000. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to the release.