The Ottumwa Fire Department responded to a pair of fires over the weekend, according to the city of Ottumwa.
On Friday, crews from the Ottumwa Fire Department and the Wapello County Rural Fire Department fought a grass fire in an empty field near the Gray Eagle Wildlife Reserve Area. After approximately three hours, the blaze was extinguished with no injuries reported. The city reminds the public to exercise caution with fires over the next few weeks due to dry conditions and high winds.
The second occurrence was a structure fire at 706 West Fourth Street on Sunday night. The city was the residence was “fully involved” when firefighters arrived and the siding was damaged on a neighboring building. The fire was under control by 4:00 AM Monday.
The Ottumwa Fire Department asks citizens to stay clear of this area due to the instability of remaining structures and hot spots. Officials say hot spots are being checked regularly. No injuries were reported and nobody was present at the location upon arrival. The fire remains under investigation.