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A 67-year-old woman died in a fire that damaged several apartments in a building in DeWitt, Iowa.
The victim was female, according to DeWitt Fire Chief Bob Sandry; several other residents got out safely as the fire damaged all eight apartments in the building.
Police officers were first to arrive at the burning building; they went door-to-door to try to find anyone who might still be inside. They were able to check all but one top floor apartment because of intense heat, flames, and smoke.
Bob Sandry, the chief of the Dewitt Fire Department, says the fire started in Apartment 6 in the building at Sho-manor Apartments, at 1113 Humeston Road. The fire broke out near the intersection of 11th Avenue and Humeston Road, behind MJ's East Gas Station, around 4:30 a.m. Friday, January 22, 2016.
Firefighters were also briefly held back when the roof began to collapse after they went into the burning building. One firefighter was taken to a local hospital after he was hit by a section of the collapsing roof; his injuries were considered minor. A frozen fire hydrant, cold temperatures, and ice on the ground also challenged firefighters trying to battle the fire.
Firefighters were eventually able to get to the top floor apartment, where they found the body of a 67-year-old woman. Her name was withheld until her family could be notified.
Sandry says all eight apartments have smoke damage and five units sustained fire damage. Fifty firemen responded from DeWitt and Grand Mound.
Sandry said he believes the building is not a total loss. The cause of the fire remained under investigation.
Stay with News 8 and WQAD.com for updates to this developing story.
