It took nearly five hours for firefighters to clear the scene of a gas station fire north of Rockwell City Tuesday. Rockwell City Fire Chief, Shane Voith, says they were dispatched to the reported blaze at Sparky’s One Stop near the intersection of U.S. Highway 20 and Iowa Highway 4 at approximately 10:31 a.m. He says the fire appeared to have started in a semi-tractor trailer that was refueling.
He adds there are always additional concerns when dealing with fires nearby highly flammable materials. Fortunately, the built-in safety features found at fueling stations performed as designed.
According to Voith, crews were able to knock most of the flames down about 45 minutes after arriving, but they were not able to clear the scene until about 3:30 p.m. to manage hot spots and flare-ups. The semi driver suffered from minor smoke inhalation, but Voith says he is expected to make a full recovery. No other injuries were reported. The vehicle and gas station were both deemed total losses, and the extensive damage makes it very unlikely they will ever know for sure how the blaze began. Voith says there are several potential sources.
The Lytton, Manson, Pomeroy, Jolley and Knoke Fire Departments, Calhoun County Emergency Medical Services, Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rockwell City and Pomeroy Police Departments also assisted at the scene.
