Multiple Crews Respond to Fight Fire that Destroys Jackson Avenue Building, Iowa City Dental Lab

No injuries were reported in a fire that completely gutted a building on 1515 Jackson Avenue, requiring two alarms and multiple crews to put out due to the cold weather conditions.

According to an Iowa City Fire Department media release, at 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday evening, the Iowa City Fire Department was dispatched to a structure fire at the above address, respnding with three engines, a ladder truck, and a battalion chief. The first fire fighters arrived to find fire coming from a first floor window of the single story building that included both a commercial business-- a dental business that supplies local dentists with custom molds-- as well as two apartments.

Brian Ray of the Gazette has photos of the fire fight in progress.

The first crew inside found the main body of fire in the kitchen of one of the two apartments, and fire crews converge to try to extinguish the kitchen fire. Meanwhile, a search of the structure revealed that all occupants had been able to escape the building unharmed, according to the release.

Despite the quick attack on the kitchen fire, the exteme cold weather hampered fire suppression efforts, according to the release, and fire traveled through multiple void spaces and spread throughout the structur.

A second alarm was issued, summoning off duty Iowa City firefighters as well as firefighters from Solon, Hills, West Branch and Coralville.  A total of 34 firefighters were on the scene to assist with suppression efforts. According to the release, the Iowa City Police Department, the Johnson County Ambulance Service, Mid-American Energy and the American Red Cross assisted with on scene efforts.

Multiple crews remain on scene early into the morning on Wednesday. The structure is a total loss and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.