Fire destroys vacant Cedar Rapids home, damages two adjacent homes

A vacant house on the southeast side of Cedar Rapids was destroyed by fire Friday morning.

According to the Cedar Rapids Fire Department, several neighbors called 911 to report heavy smoke pouring from the roof of the house at 1707 Washington Ave. SE, across the street from Johnson Elementary School.

Firefighters were dispatched at 3:23 a.m. and arrived on scene to find the second floor of the two-story house was engulfed in flames. The roof had already collapsed into the structure and the fire was extending to two adjacent homes.

Fire crews immediately started extinguishing the adjacent house to the west, at 1701 Washington Ave. SE. Cedar Rapids police officers assisted in getting one adult and three children, ages 6 to 10, out of that home. No one was hurt. The home did end up with fire damage to the siding and several broken windows.

A vacant adjacent house to the east, at 1711 Washington Ave. SE, was also continually sprayed with water. The vinyl siding was melted.

The destroyed house at 1707 Washington Ave. SE is owned by Michael Saba of Cedar Rapids.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.