(LeMars) — The LeMars Fire Department was called to the scene of an early morning house fire Wednesday. Fire officials went to 335 3rd Avenue SE at approximately 5:40 a.m. The building is a three-story building with five apartments. The fire was reported by a renter living in the complex. Upon arrival firefighters encountered smoke coming from the floor in the attic and smoke coming from the hallway on the second floor. Firefighters cut a hole in the floor of the attic room and tore open the wall in the second floor hallway. Firefighters were able to stop the fire in the floor and interior hallway wall. The building sustained minor smoke damage to the second floor apartments and the attic. An investigation into the origin and of the fire was determined to be in the flooring of the attic. The cause of the fire was determined to be an electrical equipment malfunction with wiring that supplied the second floor where the fire was.
