House Destroyed By Fire As Firefighters Battle Strong Winds

Two people and a dog safely escaped a Dubuque home before it was destroyed by fire Thursday afternoon. Firefighters responded to a residence at Caledonia Place just after 4 p.m. A passerby noticed smoke coming from the house and alerted the persons inside the house. Sue Jones and her son Eric, along with a dog were able to get out of the building. When first responders arrived, heavy fire was visible from the home. Fire officials said the fire started on an upper floor of the structure.  Dubuque County was under a high wind warning for most of the day, with the National Weather Service predicting winds of 30 to 40 mph and gusts of up to 60 mph. Smoke billowed out of the roof and windows. Much of the roof caved in, and a back section collapsed and fell into the backyard as firefighters continued to try to extinguish the blaze.