No Cause Found Yet in Downtown Iowa City Fire

(Update: Sunday 4:25 p.m.)

A press release from the Iowa City Fire Department Sunday indicated that the investigation is continuing into what caused the Saturday morning fire that damaged two Iowa City buildings. But progress is being hindered by the extent of the damage.

According to the release, the investigation is being slowed by  "structural deterioration and the presence of a large amount of debris" in the collapsed areas of the buildings. Investigators are working with property representative to coordinate the stabilzation of the buildings and the removal of debris so the investigation can continue, according to the release.

Still Smouldering Saturday Morning

Firefighters remained on the scene Saturday morning extinguishing spot fires as smoke continued to billow from the roof of one of two apartment buildings that caught fire overnight.

One resident was treated by emergency responders at the scene but no other civilian or firefighter injuries were reported, according to a news release from the Iowa City Fire Department. The fire was originally declared a three-alarm fire, but a fourth alarm was later struck to meet manpower requirements.

Brian Greer, Iowa City fire battalian chief, said the Red Cross will be assisting the eight to 10 residents that were displaced by the blaze that started around 2:16 a.m., Saturday. The buildings housed a mix of commercial and residential tenants.

The cause of the fire and amount of damage is still under investigation, Greer said, but the buildings clearly are severely damaged.

The fire started in the Bruegger's building and then spread to the second, he said.

Firefighters entered the building to fight the fire internally, but shortly thereafter an explosion, believed to be a backdraft explosion, forced crews to exit the building, according to the news release. They attemped a "defensive fire attack to protect adjoining structures and prevent the spread of fire," but the fire extended to 9 S. Linn St. at 2:52 a.m., according to the news release.

By 7:30 a.m., the fire was declared to be under control.

Greer, who was at the scene, said the building that housed Bruegger's, 225 Iowa Ave., was likely at total loss, but it is too early to say if the second building, 7 S. Linn St., which was still smoking at 11 a.m., Saturday could be saved.

Peripheral water and smoke damage is reported to 13 S. Linn St., 219-221 Iowa Ave., and 255 Iowa Ave., according to the news release.

Arielle Webb, 30, lives in the Vogel House, which is at the corner, between the two buildings that caught fire. Smoke covered the outer walls, but the Vogel House didn't catch fire. Webb and the other residents of Vogel were evacuated overnight.

"It was pretty intense. When I got outside there was smoke at first, then I saw flames coming out the top," Webb said looking at the Bruegger's building.

She was waiting to get back inside her building on Saturday morning.

Thirteen agencies helped in the response, including some that offered staff support at the Iowa City fire stations.

Earlier coverage:

A fire badly damaged the historic Bruegger's Bagel building in downtown Iowa City early Saturday morning.

The Gazette reports that everyone got out of the safely from the apartments above the building as the fire gutted the interior of the building.

A fire commander said investigators can’t begin work until the rubble cools, but it appears the fire started somewhere inside the bagel business itself. “The investigation will come later, as soon as, we get the fire out. There are indications the fire started at least on the main level, if not the basement, just what we’ve seen with the fire conditions,” said Brian Greer from the Iowa City Fire Department.

The Iowa City Press-Citizen has a gallery up of the intense fire being fought this morning.