By Ian Murphy
The Iowa City Police and Fire Departments responded to a house fire near the intersection of Dodge and College Street and College Green Park Tuesday.
The fire at 623 E. College St. started sometime before 6 p.m., with crews battling the fire into the dinner hour while the rain poured.
A ladder was extended into the air as flames jumped into the air from the interior of the house.
Bystanders said they believed the house was hit by lightning, but Iowa City police said the cause of the fire was not immediately known. They did say the occupants, who were home at the time, escaped the house.
“We don’t know how it got started,” community service Officer Jonathon Johnson said. “Everyone got out OK.”
