Amana Colonies Golf Club fire believed to have started in pro shop

AMANA, Iowa - A morning fire reduced to rubble the clubhouse of a well-known golf course.

Firefigthers responded around 3:40 a.m. to the Amana Colonies Golf Club, 451 27th Avenue.

Crews from four departments arrived to find the home engulfed. They initially held back and were unable to approach the fire due to the intensity of the flames.

Firefighters spent about two hours putting the fire out, but not before it destroyed the entire structure.

The Amana fire chief said the building was a total loss. The extra manpower helped to haul water, which had to be brought in from town due to the course's remote location.

Kevin Alexander, who manages the driving range, said the fire erased what was a fixture of the surrounding land.

'You pop over this hill, you see the clubhouse. It's a beautiful sight. It'll be sadly missed,” Alexander said.

Investigators believe the fire started in the north side of the building, in the area of the pro shop, and spread from there. Crews will spend several hours continuing to monitor the site for flare-ups.

'We're still trying to get some of the smoke, as you can see. That north end, there's a lot of debris that's smoldering. We have to get that torn apart,” Amana Fire Chief Chris Herr said.

The club hadn't planned to close for the winter until at least November 18th. Now, there's uncertainty of when it will open again. Managers say they know the community will step up if needed.

'I know that the Amana community will help us out and do whatever they need to. We will just be looking to lean on them a little bit, and see what we can do. Hopefully rebuild and kind of take it from there,” said General Manager Patrick Kilbride, who added that the clubhouse was insured.

A sheriff's deputy and firefighters on the scene said there were no injuries injuries as a result of the fire.