A South Sioux City firefighter was seriously injured when a ceiling partially collapsed during a fire on Wednesday. According to a release, the South Sioux City Fire Department was sent to the 500 block of East 25th Street at 5:07 p.m. Responders arrived on the scene within four minutes of receiving the call and found a single-story home with flames coming from the back and the roof.
Sioux City Fire Rescue and the Dakota City Fire Department were called in for further assistance while the SSCFD began battling the fire. The release states that a primary search confirmed that all occupants were safely out of the home, and firefighters were able to bring the fire under control within 20 minutes.
During the overhaul phase, a SSCFD firefighter sustained a serious neck injury when a section of the ceiling collapsed and was taken to a local hospital, according to the release. Due to the damage, the home was red-tagged and deemed uninhabitable until repairs can be completed.
The release noted that seven residents were displaced and are currently staying with family members. The fire has been ruled accidental. Investigations determined that the fire originated on the back deck for an occupant had been cooking before briefly leaving the property. When they returned, the home was already on fire.
