IT IS 8:45 A.M. AND I JUST RETURNED FROM DOWNTOWN MAQUOKETA. THE FIRE IS NOT YET UNDER CONTROL. ONE OF THE NEW PHOTOS YOU WILL SEE HERE SHOWS THE SMOKE OVER THE PICKLE BARRELL SUB SANDWICH STORE WAS TAKEN JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO ..THE SMOKE BILLOWING FROM ROOF. THE WIND IS STARTING TO BE A CONCERN. IT IS 10 BELOW ZERO. THERE ARE 14 FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN TOWN RIGHT NOW, INCLUDING SOME FROM ILLINOIS. MOST ARE TANKERS HAULING WATER FROM THE MAQUOKETA RIVER, AS WATER IS STARTING TO BE A PROBLEM. THE WATER IS BEING PUT INTO A LARGE INFLATABLE TANK ON MAIN STREET. THE WORD NOW IS THAT THERE IS A 50-50 CHANCE OF SAVING THE NEW DENTAL BUILDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BLOCK. THE SUB SANDWICH STORE WILL DEFINITELY BE GONE.
IF ANYONE NEEDS TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT HERE, CALL 563-593-0915 AND IT WILL BE POSTED ON THIS SITE. WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE MAQUOKETA
STATE BANK MAIN OFFICE IS CLOSED .. NO ELECTRICITY LIKE KMAQ ..BUT THAT THE
WEST SIDE DRIVE-UP LANES ONLY ARE OPEN...NO WALK-INS THERE, JUST DRIVE-UP
WINDOWS. OSTERHAUS PHARMACY IS OPEN. PEOPLE CITY-WIDE ARE BEING ASKED TO USE WATER SPARINGLY...PASS THE WORD. NO INJURIES AS OF THIS TIME.
CHECK PHOTOS HERE AND ALSO ON THE FLICKER PAGE. I'LL HAVE FURTHER REPORTS
DURING THE DAY, SO CHECK BACK.
DENNIS VOY