OTTAWA — Investigators started this morning to pinpoint the cause of a fire Tuesday night at Keim’s Bakery, 304 S. Main. The fire and smoke caused extensive damage to the building. Ottawa Fire Chief Tim Mathias said when firefighters arrived shortly before 8:30 p.m., they went through the main and top floors and moved to the basement. They encountered heavy smoke, high heat and flames in the basement, he said. Because there was so much smoke, Mathias said firefighters had to ventilate the basement through the entire night. Because of the heavy smoke, the Red Cross found emergency lodging for Natasha Priddy, who lives on an apartment on the upper floor of the building next to the Keim building. She said she wasn’t aware of a fire until someone knocked on her apartment door. She and her son went down the front stairs and then saw smoke when they reached the sidewalk. One firefighter was injured with cuts to a hand from breaking glass in a door, Mathias said. The firefighter was treated at Ransom Memorial Hospital and received several stitches.
Wednesday, July 27, 3 p.m.
