Sheriff mum on possible causes of Memorial Day fire

CEDAR RAPIDS – Investigators have been tight-lipped as they continue to look into a Memorial Day fire at an expensive home on the edge of Cedar Rapids.

The fire heavily damaged the house and singed a woman's hair at the Doug D. DeLong residence, 2000 Hickory Nut Lane SE, but no injuries were reported. Linn County Sheriff Brian Gardner said work still needs to be done before an official cause is determined.

“There are some things we're looking at,” said Gardner, who declined to be more specific.

When asked directly if the fire was considered suspicious, Gardner said it remains under investigation.

Three people were in the house when the fire began. Kaye Ross, 57, said she was in the basement unit she rents, and DeLong's daughter, 20-year-old Courtney DeLong, was upstairs with a friend near where the fire originated. Flames burned through the roof of the bedroom above the garage, and vaulted ceilings collapsed, officials said.

Water was hauled to the scene, due to the lack of hydrants nearby, as firefighters from six departments tried to quell the fire despite gusty winds.

DeLong owns the Longbranch Hotel and Conference Center in Marion. The home was assessed at $323,000 last year, according to the Linn County assessor's website.