There was a huge fire in downtown Monticello this morning that significantly damaged two buildings and caused smoke damage in others. Monticello Fire Chief Mark Stoneking says the call for his department came at 3:40 this morning.
“There’s a couple of buildings that affect several different businesses — Monticello Carpet, also there’s a vacant building and a jewelry store next door that received smoke damage,” Stoneking says. The fire chief says flames were visible out the back of the carpet store when fire fighters from his department arrived.
Firefighters from nearby Cascade, Hopkington and Anamosa were called in to help and a crew from Manchester’s fire department arrived with an “aerial truck” to pour water on the fire from above.
“We have the fire contained and under control and now we’re just doing some salvage and overhaul and taking care of hot spots,” he says. About a dozen people who live in downtown Monticello were evacuated and taken to a shelter this morning.
The fire chief expects the street in front of the damaged businesses to be closed most of the day.