Fire at ACC

so sorry to hear this

 

Awful news.

 

So sad after all the work he put in to it

 

What a tragedy. My wife just texted me to look on KWWL. http://www.kwwl.com/category/130142...Start=true


That was the first I heard about it. The news clip says it was about 12:30 am. There was nobody inside. The building is a complete loss. KWWL says they don't know what caused it yet.


All: Although, no one knows what happened, something like this should remind you to check your system out. Make sure you have drip loops on everything and no cords on the floor, ground fault (GFCI) outlets, etc.

 

... Which I know AC&C did have that level of care. Just be careful.

 

Terrible news.

 

terrible

 

Thanks

Yes that is a guess as that was the only electrical thing in the area that the fire started in. It is a pile of rubble right now.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

 

I wish I had the opportunity to visit the store when it was available, goes to show you should take advantage of every opportunity you can. Sorry for the loss Craig and hope the days to come a stress free. Glad no one was hurt.

 

Horrible loss of aquatic life and business investment.

I hope that Craig can move forward with his hobaby and business adventure without too big of a scare from the loss of the blood, sweat, and tears. Will be eager to hear if any plans come in [hopefully] the short future to continue with the coral propagation.

Best wishes Craig.

 

So sorry for your loss Craig. I know what your going through. Our house burnt down on Logan Ave. when I was 17. It is a stressful time. Glad no one was hurt.

 

Somebody should ask Merrill Damme if we can praise the lord for Craig's loss? Or ask him why the Lord didn't cover ACC with a sheet of ice?





WASHBURN | Volunteers from five rural fire departments battled flames and fought freezing temperatures as fire gutted a tropical fish store early Monday.

When the sun rose and the smoke cleared, the business --- Anemone’s Clowns and Coral fish shop, 7112 La Porte Road --- was a total loss, but surrounding homes were untouched, and no injuries were reported.

“I was amazed. You can praise the Lord because only the Lord could cover two houses with a sheet of ice,” said Merrill Damme, who lives two houses down.

The closest home had an attached garage that was only about 4 or 5 feet from Anemone’s south wall. Gilbertville Fire Chief Curt Bovy said the house only suffered smoke damage.

All that remains of the store are portions of two cinderblock walls that border heaps of twisted metal, charred timbers and scorched bricks.

“It was like an inferno. It smoldered for a long time and then finally it burned through the roof, and the flames shot up through the roof. I bet it went 40 foot up in the air. .. I was judging by my neighbor’s tree, and it was above his tree,” Damme said.

The cause of the blaze wasn’t immediately available, and an investigator with the Iowa Fire Marshal Division has been requested, Bovy said. He said nothing appears suspicious about the fire.

Temperatures at the time were around 12 degrees and dropped to zero with the wind chill, according to the National Weather Service. Ponding water from the hoses made for slippery conditions, and one department had a truck that froze up, Bovy said. He said firefighters took turns warming up in two waiting ambulances.

The building had been a Pronto gas station in the past and was converted into a tropical fish store years ago. Bovy said most of the shop’s business was conducted over the Internet and through mail, and the building housed a number of fish tanks.

The owner last visited the store at about 3:30 p.m. Sunday to feed the fish, Bovy said.

The fire was spotted around 1 a.m. Monday, apparently by a neighbor or passerby.

Damme said a deputy with the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office woke him and had him and three neighbors evacuate as a precaution. His wife and grandchildren went to a relative’s to stay, and he waited it out at the BP gas station down the road.

Fire crews from Gilbertville, Hudson, LaPorte City, Evansdale and Raymond were called to the scene.

Bovy said smoke was billowing from overhangs all around the building when he arrived, and firefighters entered through the front and back doors but weren’t able to go far because of the thick smoke.

“They had shot some water up ahead of them, and the ceiling came in in front of them, and that’s when we decided to get everybody out,” Bovy said. “Everything had to be exterior, it wasn’t structurally fit to go in to attack the fire.”

Bovy said that’s when the decided to concentrate on keeping the flames from spreading.

“Our only concern was saving the house and the garage right next door that,” Bovy said.

An excavator was later brought into to tear down the remaining sections of store’s roof, and firefighters finally left the scene at about 6:30 a.m.

Back at home following the five-hour evacuation, Damme was thankful for the firefighters.

“They are all volunteers. They’re not getting paid for any of that, and that’s pretty amazing what they came out and did,” Damme said.

 

Craig so sorry for your lost. You have busted your butt on this and for the club.I know this is the last thing on your mind But I hope you can regroup down the road and start up again. Will miss coming up the there.

 

That really sucks. We went through a fire a couple years ago and it was really rough. But in the end, everything is way better now. Hope it works out the same for you as well