Lang
9/8/23
A joint investigation between the Iowa City Fire Department and the University of Iowa Fire Safety Coordinator has determined the cause of two fires last week at the Iowa Advanced Technology Laboratories.
Fires were reported at the Madison Street facility…located just north of the Iowa Memorial Union on the banks of the Iowa River…just after 1 p.m. on August 31st and just after 10:30 a.m. on September 1st. No injuries were reported in either case.
Fire officials now say their investigation has determined that radiant heat from the sun reflecting onto the stainless-steel exterior caused the underlayment materials to smolder. A layer of drywall kept the burning materials from entering the exterior wall cavity.
The area has since been covered with a non-reflective material as a temporary measure, and UI officials say regular visual inspections will continue until more permanent solutions are put into place.