(Le Mars) — Fire officials from Le Mars and Orange City responded to a house fire at 44 5th Avenue Southeast in Le Mars at about 11:55 a.m. Thursday morning. Nobody was home at the time when the fire was reported by neighbors. Upon arrival, fire fighters could see black and grey smoke billowing from the structure. Le Mars Fire Chief Dave Schipper says the fire started in the basement and had been burning for quite some time before it was reported.
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Schipper says basement fires are perhaps the worst type of structure fires.
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There were no injuries with the fire, but Schipper says a family dog did perish in the blaze. Fire fighters used two aerial and ladder trucks from Le Mars and Orange City to attack the fire in the attic and roof areas.
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Fire officials were on the scene for nearly three and a half hours. The Le Mars Fire Chief says the structure is totally destroyed.
