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More details released on rural Iuka home destroyed by fire

By Bruce Kropp Dec 25, 2023 | 10:44 AM
Fire destroys the Gary Keller home on Swan Drive in rural Iuka on Saturday night.

A rural Iuka home was destroyed by fire Saturday night.

The fire was at the Gary Keller home at 5649 Swan Road northeast of Iuka.

Iuka Fire Chief Kenny Eagan says the entire home was engulfed in flames upon their arrival.  Initial reports had indicated two people were possibly trapped inside, but that turned out not to be the case.  Eagan says the confusion resulted from the Keller’s being picked up at their home earlier and their car being in the driveway.

Three dogs that were in the home perished.

Eagan says the cause of the fire has not been determined.

In addition to not being seen until fully engulfed, Eagan reports they were hampered because the fire had gotten between a double roof.  Eventually, the roof collapsed onto the two mobile homes that made up much of the structure.  The Omega Township backhoe was called to the scene to knock down some of the remaining walls to allow the fire to be put out.

Eagan says water never became an issue as the multiple fire departments on the scene were able to haul water from a site on Omega Road.  Iuka called Salem, Kell, Kinmundy-Alma, Odin, and Xenia Firefighters to the scene for mutual aid, while Orchardville manned the Iuka Fire Station in the event of another fire.

The fire call came in at 8:24 Saturday night.   The last firemen left the scene around two on Sunday morning.

Fire burns through a rural Iuka home Saturday night.