Sunday Storms Create Busy Afternoon For Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department
(Le Mars) — Strong winds combined with heavy rains, with one report as much as four inches of rain fell on Le Mars Sunday afternoon created street flooding, down tree limbs and even some power outages. The storm was responsible in part, for creating a busy Sunday afternoon for the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department. The fire and rescue department responded to five calls with four coming within 15 minutes of each other. At 8:45am the Fire-Rescue Department responded to an alarm at Floyd Valley Hospital. Steam from a water heater set off the alarm system.
At 2:24pm the Fire-Rescue Department responded to a single vehicle rollover accident at near the intersection of Hwy 75 and Hwy 60. This occurred during a heavy rain and thunderstorm. Firefighters were on the scene for one hour, and one person was taken to the hospital. Firefighters returned to the station at 3:24pm.
At 3:36pm the Fire-Rescue Department was called to 308 Central Ave. S.E. for smoke coming from a structure. While en-route to this call the Fire-Rescue Department was called at 3:38pm to a fire alarm at 1650 21st SW. The smoke call was a wood burner in a garage/shed. There was no fire, the smoke was hanging low due to the heavy rain. The fire alarm was due to a power outage which triggered the alarm. While at the fire alarm call the Fire-Rescue Department was called at 3:49pm to a third call for a wire down and possible fire at 121 1st Ave. N.W. Upon arrival firefighters found a tree that had fallen in the backyard at 121 1st Ave. N.W. The tree ripped the electrical service wire from the apartment building and also pulled a service wire loose from a house across the alley from the 121 address. Both the house and the apartment building were checked by firefighters. The power line that was down was still energized. MidAmerican Energy was called to the scene and assisted with the power issue. Firefighters were on the scene for a little over an hour.
