Two bodies found in aftermath of Missouri Valley blaze, police confirm
Two bodies were found in a downtown building gutted by fire Thursday, police confirm.
Missouri Valley Police Chief Edward Murray said the victims were burned beyond recognition. Autopsies have been ordered.
As of Thursday afternoon, a Missouri Valley man who lived in the building remained unaccounted for as firefighters from several jurisdictions brought the blaze under control.
The fire broke out in a building in the main business district Thursday morning. First responders, including some from Nebraska, arrived to heavy smoke and flames. Video from the scene shows a crew from Blair on scene.
The origin of the blaze is still not known. Witnesses said a man lived in the back of the building that burned. Authorities have not been able to confirm is he was one of the people found deceased. He is the night watchman at CTI Electronics, the business where the fire began, and it's not clear where he was when the fire broke out.
CTI Electronics repairs and recycles computers and other electronic products. It's located across from the Missouri Valley Police Department.
The main street was shut down with all traffic diverted as crews battled the flames.
By 9:30, video from our 6 News crew on location showed that a good deal of the smoke had diminished but crews were still working to contain the blaze.
It was largely under control by 11 a.m.