Aftermath of a Saturday morning fire to a home in Perry. Photo by Coltrane Carlson-Raccoon Valley Radio

A home in Perry was destroyed after an explosion Saturday morning.

According to Perry Fire Chief Grason Hill, the fire department, along with the Perry Police Department, responded to a call of a residential fire just after 6am in the 600 block of 5th Street. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio when they got on scene, the home was fully engulfed in flames and there had been an explosion prior to their arrival. Hill points out the explosion blew out the walls and windows of the home and a neighboring structure to the west was hit by some of the debris.

Hill states that there was one female occupant and a dog that got out safely and fire crews were able to save the other neighboring homes on each side. The home is considered a total loss. Hill notes that Bouton and Woodward Fire Departments responded for mutual aid. He adds that the Perry Public Works Department provided ice melt to prevent firefighters from slipping on the freezing water from their hoses, but none of their equipment ever froze on them and no firefighters were hurt.