By Eilleen Mozinski
Telegraph Herald (Iowa)
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All Rights Reserved
DYERSVILLE, Iowa — A firefighter was injured in a blaze at Faust Millwork and Cabinets last week — the second time the company has been devastated by fire in the last decade.
Dyersville firefighters had to call in help from Farley and New Vienna fire departments early Wednesday to take on the intense heat and heavy smoke of the blaze, according to Dyersville Fire Chief Merlin Clemen.
One firefighter was treated and released from the hospital for heat exhaustion after the crew worked its way to the origin of the fire at the center of the building.
“By the time we got to the source of the fire (using) air packs, the crews were about out of air,” said Clemen. “When it’s really smoke-filled like that it takes a lot of air power.”
The Dyersville squad responded to the call at about 1 a.m. and was on the scene for about four hours. Clemen estimated 70 firefighters responded to the blaze.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation and Clemen said it could be several weeks before the state fire marshal and insurance agents finish evaluating the damage.
Although there appeared to be little damage visible to the outside and general structure of the 17,000-square-foot steel building, Clemen said there was considerable destruction inside.
“It was a significant loss,” Clemen said.
Cleanup has been under way at the building since the fire.
There is not an official timeline for rebuilding, according to owner Russ Faust, who said 27 people work for the company.
Faust rebuilt the business and doubled the size of the company’s work force after the original building was destroyed in 1996 by a New Year’s Eve fire.