No injuries in rural Palo fire

Neither person nor animal was injured in a blaze that was reported Monday evening.

According to a Linn County Sheriff's Office media release a fire call for 4670 Bear Creek Road in rural Palo was issued at 5:19 p.m. and was responded to by Linn County Sheriff's Deputies and Linn County Rescue 57 along with the Palo Fire Department, Shellsburg Fire Department, Hiawatha Fire Department, Center Point Fire Department, Monroe Fire Department, Atkins Fire Department, and Hiawatha Ambulance Service.

According to the release, the fire began on the deck of the home before spreading to the house. The tenant of the house, Tracey Stober, as well as her dog, were present during the incident and evacuated without injury. Meanwhile, the homeowner, Jeffrey Ortmann, arrived on the scene shortly thereafter and was unable to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher.

The origins of the fire remain unknown at this juncture, according to the release, and an investigation into the incident remains ongoing by the Palo Fire Department and the Linn County Sheriff's Office.