Note: Updated at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1
MUSCATINE, Iowa — Firefighters plan to continue investigating Wednesday morning the cause of a fire that destroyed a historic home on Tuesday afternoon.
The cause of the blaze is under investigation and Muscatine Fire Department Battalion Chief Kevin Cannon said at about 5:15 p.m. Tuesday that crews would resume the search for the cause in daylight. Crews were expected to be on standby overnight, he said, as firefighters had most of it out by 5 p.m.
The 911 call came in around 12:10 p.m. Tuesday from the homeowner. The owner of the house, listed as David Morrison, escaped the house before firefighters arrived. He was eventually transported due to a medical condition not directly related to the fire, according to a press release from Muscatine Fire Marshal Mike Hartman. Morrison lives alone, according to the press release, and assistance has been requested from the Salvation Army and the Red Cross.
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Upon arrival, fire crews found smoke coming from the basement and attic of the residence, the press release stated. Attempts to find the seat of the fire were hampered by building construction, low visibility and high heat conditions, the press release stated. Â
Firefighters went into the house with an offensive attack of the fire, but weren't inside too long before a floor collapsed so they had fight it defensively from the outside, Cannon explained.
The structure sustained major structural damage and will likely be a complete loss.
Located at 315 W. Third St., the William and Harry W. Huttig House was built in 1892.Â
The Muscatine Fire Department was assisted by the Muscatine Police Department. The Fruitland and Wilton fire departments responded to provide additional staffing. Approximately 31 fire fighters responded. There were no injuries to civilians or responders as a direct result of the fire, according to the press release.
About 94 customers were without power during the blaze. Muscatine Power and Water turned off electricity so the power lines wouldn't interfere.
"We took the lines out so the firefighters can do what they need to do," Erika Cox said at 3:55 p.m. Tuesday.
Cox, MPW's director of employee and community relations, said power was expected to be restored Tuesday evening.
Flames were shooting from the roof and the rear of the large brick two-story Queen Anne-style structure, which sits on the corner of West Third and Linn streets. The fire even threatened the house next door as firefighters doused both houses while flames licked 313 W. Third St. where Shelly Van Winkle lives. Van Winkle was at work when her children called her after hearing about the next door fire.Â
She could stand to watch for only so long before for she had to leave for a while — too distressed to watch. They did save her house.
"My first concern was make sure nobody was in the house," she said of her neighbor and instructed her children to call 911 if they hadn't yet.
She was relieved when she returned to the scene around 3:15 p.m. and saw her house had been saved with the fire dying down at the house next door. She didn't know when she would be able to re-enter her home, but expected to stay with friends until she could.
The Muscatine Fire Department's aerial truck was on West Third shooting water onto the roof to try and contain the blaze.Â
A large crowd gathered as flames jutted from the house and smoke billowed over much of downtown Muscatine.
Police blocked the area to traffic.
The crowd had thinned out around 3:15 p.m. as there were fewer flames, a wall had collapsed and the turret had fallen apart.
Peggy Senzarino, Kevin M. Smith and Jessica Fletcher-Frye contributed to this report.Â