(Photo courtesy of City of North Liberty)
Edited release
01/28/26
Area fire departments were called to a rural Johnson County house fire Tuesday morning.
According to a release from the city of North Liberty, the fire department was notified of smoke and flames coming from a two-story residence on Forest Drive NE just after 9am.
A Johnson County Sheriff’s Deputy was the first unit on scene and reported heavy fire conditions from the rear of the structure. The Iowa City Fire Department arrived on scene, followed by North Liberty fire trucks. Firefighters made entry into the structure, and encountered heavy fire conditions.
A primary search of the residence was conducted promptly, and no victims or pets were found.
Fire suppression efforts were challenged by strong winds, freezing temperatures, and the absence of nearby fire hydrants, which required the activation of a third alarm to ensure an adequate water supply and staffing.
Fire departments from Iowa City, Coralville, Solon, Swisher, Tiffin, Oxford, and West Branch assisted at the scene. Additional support was provided by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department, Johnson County Ambulance Service, and the Johnson County Emergency Communications Center.
Crews remained on scene for just under five hours. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and a damage estimate is not available at this time. No injuries were reported.