Investigators are trying to determine what sparked a fire at the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center in Davenport. Crews got the call about 2 p.m. Sunday after people saw a thick black cloud of smoke rising into the sky.
Firefighters say they put out the flames in about 15 minutes. The fire started in a donation bin. About 75 residents were evacuated until the fire was under control.
"There are large cardboard boxes out there called gaylords that had some donations in them and one of those is what caught fire," Major Scott Shelbourn, Quad Cities Coordinator for Salvation Army told TV 6.
Because the donations were mostly polyester and cardboard instead of paper, the smoke was dark black. Shelbourn told TV 6 the fire burned for about 10-15 minutes.
As the investigation into what caused the fire gets underway, the Salvation Army is grateful for the support it is getting. "Really appreciate the support of Quad Cities community. People know Salvation Army well and the work we do. It is not a burden to me to take extra calls knowing people are watching out for us," Shelbourn says.
(Photo: TV 6)