On 04/12/2023 at 2:29PM the Black Hawk County Dispatch Center received a 911 call reporting that their neighbor’s front porch was on fire at 317 West 22nd Street in Cedar Falls. The 911 caller reported that the porch was fully engulfed and that the fire was quickly spreading up the front of the home.
Firefighters arrived in just two minutes to find two sides of the home fully engulfed in heavy black smoke and fire. The fire was being fueled by strong winds. A mother and her three children were at home at the time of the fire and escaped with the assistance of neighbors. Firefighters attacked and extinguished the fire. Firefighters worked to control and limit the damage to neighboring structures and vehicles.
The home and a car in the driveway sustained heavy smoke, fire, and water damage. Cedar Falls Public Safety was assisted by the Black Hawk County Dispatch Center, Mercy One Paramedics, Cedar Falls Utilities and the American Red Cross. The Red Cross is making housing arrangements for the victims of this fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation, however discarded smoking materials outside of the home near the porch are suspected to be the cause of the fire.