GREEN MOUNTAIN, Iowa (AP) - A rural church in east-central Iowa has been destroyed in a fire sparked by an attempt to smoke out a wild animal that had gotten inside, firefighters said.
Fire crews were called to the Chapel United Methodist Church near Green Mountain around 3:30 p.m. Monday, Des Moines station WHO-TV reported. Investigators said someone tried to get rid of an animal that had gotten inside the church using a smoke bomb, which started the fire. Officials did not indicate what kind of animal had gotten inside.
It took seven fire crews and several hours to fully extinguish the blaze, fire officials said. The church was first established in 1867, the station reported.
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