SOLON- A large, rural Solon home in a secluded, wooded area in western Newport Township was destroyed by fire Monday, March 28.
Firefighters from Solon and surrounding departments were called to 3990 Starry Night Ct. NE at approximately 6 p.m. to find a home belonging to the John and Tami Mergen family fully engulfed. The fire had spread from the garage to the roof and attic of the house, preventing firefighters from entering, according to Assistant Fire Chief Scott Wolfe.
The occupants of the home were inside when the fire began, but were alerted by smoke detectors and were able to exit safely, he said.
Eight departments and around 55 firefighters were called to the remote scene, 5 1/2 miles away on gravel roads from the nearest hydrant on Solon’s southern edge. By 7:30 p.m., most of the structure was gone. Approximately 35,000 gallons of water was used. The fire was under control in five hours, and extinguished in seven hours, Wolfe reported. Half a dozen tanker trucks lined the narrow gravel road outside the home’s driveway as firefighters ferried in water, with many making numerous trips to refill back in Solon. The house, constructed in 2011, was determined to be a total loss with a damage estimate in excess of $1 million.
Solon’s Tri-Township Fire Department was assisted by the North Liberty, Ely, Lisbon, West Branch, Swisher Coralville and Iowa City fire departments, as well as the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and the Johnson County Ambulance Service. Minor injuries to one firefighter were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but was believed to have started in the garage.