Neighbor heard 'pops' before Oxford fire

A gas grill was the source of a fire that ravaged a home in Oxford last night, said Fire Chief Al Thomas.

No one was injured, but two dogs were taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment. Thomas said one woman lived in the home at 213 E. Main St. A neighbor helped her  escape before firefighters arrived, said Thomas. The woman was being assisted by the American Red Cross.

Someone passing by the house called firefighters around 9 p.m. Soon five area departments arrived to battle the blaze, which started in the kitchen and climbed higher and higher.

"It just got up into the rafters up there and we had a heck of a time getting (the flames) out,” said Thomas.

Many people gathered along Main Street to watch.  “I was sitting inside of my house and heard a loud pop,” said Lindsay Schulte, 22, a Main Street resident, who sat across from the scene.

“There was a huge, huge first pop and that was within seconds of the second pop,” she said.

Fire trucks and emergency vehicles lined the street for hours. “This is a big deal,” added Schulte.

The Oxford Fire Department was assisted by crews from Amana, Coralville, Tiffin and North Liberty.

An investigation into the fire will continue, says Thomas.