Fire Department Responds to Rachel Street Apartment Fire

The North Liberty Fire Department was dispatched at 4:28 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, to 1010 Rachel St., North Liberty, for a report of a fire alarm. Responding police officers noted the sprinkler system had been activated and there was visible smoke on the building’s second floor. The response was upgraded, bring additional resources.

As the initial North Liberty fire unit arrived, firefighters found smoke coming from an apartment on the second floor. Crews forced entry and found fire and smoke in the living room. During a search of the apartment, two children were located in a bedroom and were removed from the building. A dog was also found and removed during the apartment search. The fire was largely extinguished by the sprinkler system. The Johnson County Ambulance Service arrived and evaluated the two fire victims, transporting them to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Fire crews confirmed the fire was extinguished and removed the smoke from the building.

Firefighters from Coralville assisted in the effort, as did the North Liberty Police Department, Johnson County Ambulance Service and the Johnson County Emergency Communications Center. Crews were on the scene for two hours. The cause of the fire is under investigation, a loss estimate is currently unavailable.