2 buildings in tiny Iowa town of Thor gutted by fire

THOR, Iowa (AP) — The small north-central Iowa town of Thor took a hit last week when two buildings along its main street were gutted by fire.

The fire was discovered late Friday night, first in Thor’s old Humboldt Trust &Savings Bank building, The Messenger reported. Soon, the entire building and the vacant building next to it were engulfed in flames.

Thor Volunteer Fire Chief Kevin Olson, who lives around the corner from the buildings, learned of the fire when someone banged on his door late Friday night and he stuck his head out to see the flames.

Olson moved trucks out of a nearby shed before other firefighters arrived and began pumping water of the blaze.

With a force of only seven volunteer firefighters, the Thor fire department called in help from firefighters in Humboldt, Renwick, Goldfield, Vincent, Eagle Grove and Badger. Many of the firefighters worked through the night to extinguish the fire.

“We are a small department,” Olson said. “We get wore out pretty quick. The cavalry showed up just in time.”

No injuries were reported in the blaze. The two buildings are a total loss. A cause has not yet been determined.