Officials say a house fire late Saturday morning in Shenandoah was likely caused by a defective heat lamp. According to reports, firefighters were called to 705 south Center Street at around 11:15-a.m., Saturday. When they arrived, the exterior of the home was engulfed in flames. Damage to the structure was primarily limited to outside of the home, with the inside sustaining smoke damage. The structure was unoccupied at the time. Two pets inside were rescued. Firefighters were on the scene for about two-to three-hours.

Fire and water destroyed a home in rural Mills County, Saturday morning. According to reports, the blaze at a residence located along 370th Street, north of Hastings, may have been caused by a wood burning stove, but the incident remains under investigation. Firefighters from Hastings, Malvern and Emerson responded to the blaze, which was initially dispatched as a 1st floor chimney fire. The call came in at around 6-a.m. Officials said firefighters needed to knock out a wall in order to control the spread of the flames from the first floor to the upstairs area.

None of the home’s five occupants nor their pets, or firefighters were injured, but the home was declared a total loss due to the amount of water and smoke damage.  American Red Cross volunteers responded to assist the family in finding shelter and other necessities.

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest Saturday evening of 39-year old Eric Michael Huffstutlear, of Villisca. Huffstutlear was taken into custody at around 6:20-p.m., following a traffic stop at the intersection of north 5th Avenue and east 1st Street, in Villisca. He was charged with OWI/3rd offense, and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where he was being held on $5,000 bond.

Sheriff’s officials in Adair County have released additional details about a fatal ice fishing accident we first told you about Saturday afternoon. Authorities say 62-year old James Alan Wallace, of Casey, died after falling through the ice while fishing on a private farm pond about six-miles southwest of Menlo.  Wallace’ family members had reported him missing to the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office after he failed to return home from ice fishing Friday afternoon.

Following  a search of the area where Wallace was believed to have been fishing, an Adair County Sheriff’s deputy located the man’s vehicle near a farm pond, and shortly thereafter saw Wallace’ body in the water. He was pulled from the pond by rescue personnel and pronounced dead at the scene, by the Adair County Medical Examiner.

Deputies with the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, officers with the Stuart Police Department Adair County Conservation officers, Menlo Fire and Rescue and the Adair County Ambulance all assisted in the search and recovery efforts.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

Firefighters from Griswold were called to the scene of a house fire southwest of there early Sunday morning. Dispatch reports indicated the residence at 69191 540th Street was fully engulfed in flames just after 2-a.m.  Authorities said the home, which was owned by Orlan Cain, was believed to have been unoccupied, and had been the target of recent thefts.

A neighboring residence was safely evacuated as a precaution. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with the State Fire Marshal’s Office called to assist in determining a cause. Firefighters were on the scene for a little more than two and one-half hours. They returned late Sunday night after authorities were notified about a gas leak, which was initially termed a “very dangerous situation” by Mid American Energy crews on the scene. Authorities were told an evacuation of nearby homes was necessary shortly after the call was received at around 8:45-p.m., but that turned out not to be the case.