Officials expect arson as cause for Saturday night house fire

UPDATE: Cedar Rapids fire investigators say arson was the reason two fires struck the same home in less than six hours Saturday night.

Fire crews responded to 602 16th Ave. SE - a vacant house house significantly damaged by the flood of June 2008 - at 6:30pm and again just after midnight.

When firefighters arrived on scene, the one and one-half story residential structure had flames coming out from all the windows and the back porch. Investigators say the house was unoccupied and had no working utilities. There was electrical power to the meter, but it was not energized to the house from the meter.

“I was scared. I didn't know what to do. I just froze for a second,” said 9-year-old Amber Blackhawk.

But then Blackhawk sprang into action and called 911 about the vacant neighborhood house on fire.

"I called them, and they said they would be right over, and they were as soon as I hung up,” said Blackhawk.

Amber was one of multiple callers that saw flames shooting from the house Saturday night around 6:30 p.m.

"In a situation like that, I'm glad she knew what to do,” said Amber's mother Georgia Blackhawk. "It's just been empty since the flood. A lot of damages like people breaking windows, animals going in and out. I guess they've been trying to get it torn down.”

Cedar Rapids fire investigators say they believe arson was the cause. Officials say an investigation will continue.

Fire crews were called back to the house again just after midnight to put out a hotspot they couldn't reach the first time they responded.

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