Wapello Fire and Rescue responded to its second structure fire in three days when a pole building and its contents were destroyed Tuesday south of Wapello.

Chief Damon Moore says they were called to 13121 40th Street shortly after 1:30 p.m. and heavy smoke could be seen from over five miles away.  He says due to the nature of the call, the Morning Sun Fire Department was immediately requested for mutual aid.

Moore says upon arrival, the pole building was engulfed in flames, but fighting the fire was challenging with the structure over 400 feet from the nearest road in an area along a bluff. The steep, narrow and icy condition of the driveway was also inaccessible for the fire trucks, forcing crews to drag hoses up the hill to battle the blaze which was fueled by a large amount of wood and chemicals stored in the building being utilized as a workshop. Firefighters remained on scene until shortly after 5:00 p.m. 

There were no injuries and the property owner, Paul Wilmeismeier, was not at the residence at the time of the fire. Moore says no damage estimate is available at this time, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The Oakville Fire Department, Wapello Community Ambulance, Wapello Police Department, Louisa County Sheriff’s Office, and Eastern Iowa Light and Power also assisted at the scene. 

*Photo courtesy Wapello Fire and Rescue