Flames swept through a three-story apartment building in Coralville on Wednesday afternoon, causing heavy damage and rendering the building uninhabitable.
Reports say 12 people were home at the time of the blaze and all escaped safely, though a total of 22 residents were displaced.
Resident Gloria Amuda tells KCRG-TV she was asleep and only realized there was a fire because a neighbor was banging on her window.
“My immediate reaction was like, I need to call my work and tell them I’m not gonna be able to go to work, because I’m supposed to be reporting at work in like an hour and a half or so, so that was the first thing I did,” Amuda says. “But then it hit me. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, where am I gonna sleep tonight?’”
No injuries are reported in the fire near Coral Ridge Mall, though several pets perished. Investigators believe the cause of the fire was accidental.
Damage is estimated around $1-million.