Twelve people evacuated in Cedar Rapids house fire

Cedar Rapids Fire Department responded to a report of smoke coming from a house at 1545 2nd ave in Cedar Rapids around 3 p.m. Wednesday.

Four adults and eight children from the ages two to nine had been inside the house.

When firefighters arrived, there were two adults still in the building. They left after firefighters told them to get out of the house. It was unclear why they were still inside.

No one was injured as a result of the fire.

Most of the fire was in the attic and a second floor bedroom. Firefighters opened up walls to check for fire extension and used a chainsaw to open a section of the roof.

The attic and a second floor bedroom suffered extensive heat, fire and smoke damage. There was also water damage and structural damage.

Buelow said one of the adults in the house had started the chimney shortly before the fire was reported. He is waiting for an investigator to confirm that this is how the fire started.

Those on the second floor of the house said that they were not alerted of the fire from smoke detectors.

Lakeisha McDaniel, 28, was the only resident whose name was released. Buelow said that many of the adults and children in the house at the time of the fire were friends and relatives of hers. McDaniel was taken to the hospital after she injured her leg in a storm drain while evacuating the house.