Fire Destroys Condos, Displaces 4

From Cedar Rapids Fire Department: 

Fire Destroys Condominium, Displaces Four Occupants

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – June 28, 2013 – An overnight fire has completely destroyed two attached condominiums at 4044 Water Point Court SW and 4048 Water Point Court SW.  Firefighters were dispatched at 2:15 a.m. after the occupants in 4044 Water Point Court SW called 911 to report the fire.  The nearest fire engine responded from 1st Avenue and Wiley Boulevard SW – while en route the fire crew could see visible flames from the roof of the condominiums as they turned off of 16thAvenue SW onto Stoney Point Road SW, which is nearly a mile away.

As firefighters arrived on scene, flames had penetrated the roof of the attached condominiums.  Both 1,405 square foot, 4-bedroom condos that each include a two-stall garage in between the residential structures, were fully-involved with fire.  Fire crews confirmed that all occupants were out of the dwellings and not injured.  They then began a defensive fire attack. 

Judith Deford, age 68, and Norman Hedgecoth, age 64, were alerted to the fire by a working smoke alarm that activated.  Deford and Hedgecoth reported smoke coming through the garage door into their living space.  Defordand Hedgecoth were in the 4044 Water Point Court SW condominium.  

Larry Johnson, age 71, and Judy Johnson, age 67, were alerted by noise and, upon investigating, could see smoke coming from their neighbor’s condominium.  Both of them escaped their 4048 Water Point Court SW condominium without injury.

Firefighters continued extinguishing the fire from the exterior until the intense fire was extinguished enough to allow a primary search and interior entry to extinguish remaining fire inside the dwellings.  A total of four Cedar Rapids fire engine companies, one ladder company, and a rescue unit were dispatched to the scene.  Fairfax Fire Department also responded with two fire units, including a tanker, to assist.

In addition, there were three vehicles in the attached garages and one vehicle in the driveway of one of the condominiums that were heavily damaged by the fire.  At least three other nearby condominiums had exposure damage, primarily melted siding, from the adjacent fire.

The Grant Wood Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting the four displaced occupants.

The cause and origin of the fire is under investigation.

No further information is available at this time.