KEOKUK, IOWA -- UPDATED: 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Following the fire at the River City Mall of Keokuk, the mall announced that ServiceMaster Cleaning and Restoration of Quincy and ServiceMaster of Fort Madison were named to handle restoration cleanup for the retail property.
Snow last Friday didn't hamper efforts to begin the cleanup. "ServiceMaster crews totaling more than 50 people worked late in the night on Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday;" said Dale Steinkamp, a spokesman for ServiceMaster Cleaning and Restoration. "ServiceMaster is self-contained on-site which allows us to have an on-going response to address the retail center."
The interior environment of Keokuk's shopping mall was first addressed with high volume air scrubbers on the first day of restoration.
"Restorative cleaning continues today in the common areas of the River City Mall, according to Steinkamp. We are touching every square inch of the mall's interior in order to be able to return this retail center to the people of Keokuk and the regional area that it serves."
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UPDATED: 4:23 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011
The River City Mall in Keokuk is back open for business after fire heavily damaged a store inside the mall on Monday.
The cause of the fire still remains under investigation. But cleaning crews are inside getting rid of the smoke damage and the fire smell.
There is no word on whether or not Sue's Quilts & Stitches will re-open.
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UPDATED: 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011
The mall was re-opened on Tuesday.
We have no new information at this time about the fire. We will bring you updates as we receive them.
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UPDATED: 9:05 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011
We have a call in to the River City Mall Tuesday morning to find out if the mall will re-open.
As soon as we get that information we will pass it on to you!
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UPDATED: 4:28 p.m. Monday, Feb. 21, 2011
KHQA has been unable to reach anyone in the offices at the River City Mall on Monday afternoon.
The voicemail for the mall theatre states that due to the incident at the mall they will re-open on Tuesday during normal business hours.
Although the fire department had said there was a chance for the mall to re-open, we are now assuming that the mall will be closed until Tuesday.
We will let you know if anything changes.
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UPDATED: 10:40 a.m. Monday, Feb. 21, 2011
Jarod Wells spoke with an assistant chief with the Keokuk Fire Department who told him firefighters are clearing smoke from the mall.
The fire was contained to one store, Sue's Quilts and Stitches, but Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Marlin expects smoke damage through a good portion of the River City Mall.
No one was hurt during the fire.
The entire mall was evacuated.
The assistant chief also said the mall, or portions of it, may be able to re-open later Monday, but it's too early to decide.
Firefighters also have not yet been able to start their investigation into what started the fire.
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UPDATED: 10:11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 21, 2011
Jarod Wells spoke with an employee at the mall who told him the fire started in a quilt store.
The fire is out, although there is smoke and water damage.
The River City Mall will be closed the rest of the day.
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KHQA's Jarod Wells in on his way to Keokuk right now after we received a call from the mall manager at the River City Mall in Keokuk, Iowa.
The mall manager let us know that there is a fire at the mall and emergency responders are on site.
We will bring you more details, so check this story later and watch KHQA's News at 5, KHQA's Evening News at 6 p.m. and KHQA's Late News at 10 p.m.
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