Breaking News - January 22, 2009

Car Destroyed When Brush Fire Gets Out Of Control On Sportsman Road

The Waterloo Fire Department was called out today at 1 p.m. to put out a fire that got out of control. The fire started at the Florence Rosenkranz residence at 4908 Sportsman Road, just across from the entrance to the Waterloo Sportsman’s Club. Earlier in the day she had lit a pile of debris in her backyard. The fire spread through her yard and caught a nearby wood pile and corn stubble field on fire. Flames then caught the side of her home ablaze and the deck of her above ground swimming pool.

As the wind picked up, the fire quickly spread to her neighbor’s yard, the property owned by Christina Ledbetter. Her car was quickly engulfed in flames and completely destroyed. Other items at the Ledbetter’s were also damaged by the fire. Waterloo firefighters stayed on the scene for more than one hour to make sure all the hot spots were extinguished. Damage to the Rosenkranz home was limited to melted vinyl siding on one side of the structure.

Christina Ledbetter looks on from a safe distance as Waterloo firefighters extinguish the flames from her car.

Firefighters put out some hot spots on the property between the Rosenkranz and Ledbetter homes in rural Waterloo.  

Florence Rosenkranz, right, watches as Waterloo Fire Chief Mark Yeager puts out the fire on her swimming pool deck. She was very thankful for the Waterloo firefighters’ quick response in handling the situation.

The Columbia Volunteer Fire Department was called out today at 2:30 p.m. to put out a small brush fire next to the radio controlled airport on Bluff Road.

The woods behind Bill Scheper’s home in Maeystown rekindled last night about 8:30 p.m. The Maeystown Fire Department responded for a second time that day to extinguish the fire. Earlier in the day, the fire swept through Scheper’s newly-planted grade vines.

Car Barrels Into Front Of Wightman Pharmacy - No One Injured

A car driven by Josephine Reis plowed through the front door of Wightman Pharmacy on Main Street in downtown Waterloo today at 3 p.m., The car came to an abrupt stop when it slammed into the back counter. Although there were several employees working and one customer inside the store, there were no injuries. Reis appeared shaken up, but the initial report is that she was not seriously injured.

Reis, who lives on Park Street in Waterloo, apparently stepped on the accelerator and lost control of the vehicle. She was able to exit the vehicle and was taken into an ambulance for observation. She is the widow of Clifford Reis, who died this past November.

Steve Wheat of Wheat’s Towing started the car and backed it out of the building. Waterloo firefighters assisted the pharmacy owners, Steve Wightman, Bernice Wightman and Tom Wightman, in picking up the debris.

“I called Allen Schutt and he’ll board up the front until we can begin the renovation tomorrow,” said Steve Wightman.

The Wightmans are already in the process of making arrangements for those needing their prescriptions filled. The details will be printed in the E-newsletter has soon as they are finalized. Waterloo Police Chief James Trantham said all of the drugs have been locked away and officers will patrol the store overnight.

This is the fifth occurrence in recent memory in which a car has driven through the front of a Waterloo business on Main Street. The others include State Bank of Waterloo, Price Printing, JV’s Downtown Bar and Grill and Reime Jewelers.

Waterloo firefighters help Tom and Bernice Wightman pick up debris thrown off of the shelves after the car ran through the front door. Steve Wheat was able to back the car out and back onto Main Street.

Waterloo firefighters pull down the heavily damaged front door and window from Wightman Pharmacy.

Waterloo Fire Chief Mark Yeager, left, discusses the situation with Tom Wightman, center, and his son Steve Wightman.