Smoke Detector Alerts Ankeny Man to Morning House Fire

An Ankeny resident escaped a house fire unharmed Friday morning after he was awakened by a smoke detector, authorities told the Des Moines Register.

Firefighters were called to the blaze in the 7500 block of Northwest 16th Street at about 7:45 a.m.

The fire started in the basement and spread to the first floor of the single-story home, Lt. Chris Weber with the Ankeny Fire Department told the newspaper. The house had some structural damage in the basement and the fire left significant smoke damage throughout the house.

There was only one person in the house. He escaped without injuries after his smoke detector woke him, Weber told the Register.

Firefighters from the Ankeny, Altoona and Polk City fire departments responded to the fire. The cause is under investigation.