ST CHARLES, Iowa — The first floor of a house in rural Iowa has been almost completely destroyed after catching fire Monday.
The house is located near St. Charles in Madison County.
St. Charles Fire Chief Rick Schaffer said it took about 12 minutes to get out to the house from the fire station.
Crews from St. Charles and other nearby towns arrived to find the house engulfed in flames. Shaffer told Local 5 they did eventually get the fire put out thanks to a dry hydrant on a pond about three miles away from the house, but not before most of the first floor was leveled.
The one occupant in the house at the time of the fire managed to to get out safely. No people or animals were harmed in the fire.
The house was also attached to a three-car garage by a breezeway, which the fire spread through.
At this point, crews have not yet done a full assessment of the damages. They are also still trying to determine the cause of the fire.