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Maquoketa fire called suspicious

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By Sheri Melvold | Wednesday, September 03, 2008 |

An early morning fire destroyed a two story home on 214 Avenue north of Maquoketa. (Kevin E. Schmidt/Quad-City TImes) Buy this Photo

MAQUOKETA, Iowa — An early-morning fire that destroyed a home and garage in rural Maquoketa is being called suspicious, and authorities are investigating.

Four fire departments spent four hours battling the fire at the home of Steve Mueller, 7501 214th Ave. Only part of the front wall remained Wednesday morning. Three agents from the state Fire Marshal’s office are investigating the fire as well as another fire on the same property on Aug. 21, that one involving a pole building.

A neighbor called the Maquoketa Law Center at 2:58 a.m. Wednesday saying the Mueller house was burning. When firefighters arrived, both the house and garage were engulfed in fire. Andrew, Baldwin and Delmar fire departments were called to help with manpower and to bring tanker trucks.

Trucks had to haul water from the north edge of Maquoketa several miles to the rural Maquoketa home.

Fire Chief Mark Beck said both buildings were destroyed. Firefighters, at first, did not know if the Mueller family was home when the fire broke out.

“Neighbors told us they had not been staying there since the last fire, but the neighbors didn’t know where they were,” Beck said.

Jackson County Sheriff Russ Kettmann said the family was out of the area but declined to say where. He said they were expected to return to Maquoketa Wednesday. The sheriff said they are interviewing people in connection with the fire.

The previous fire on Aug. 21 was also thought to be suspicious, and fire marshals have been investigating. It happened at 5:26 a.m. in a pole building on the Mueller property. It also was destroyed, according to the fire chief. A deputy on routine patrol spotted flames coming from the building, and he rescued a dog that was inside.

Authorities are not saying who they suspect started the two fires at the Mueller residence.

The city desk can be contacted at (563) 383-2450 or newsroom@qctimes.com.