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By John Speer

Central Iowa Press

Melinda Dostal said "It was a disaster but nobody lost their life.. All material things can be replaced, and, at some point, we'll try." She said "All of Dennis' life" was reflected in the items kept in a large storage building at the Dostal farm, located seven miles north of Toledo on County Road E29.

She said the show was to go on - the Double D Rodeo Grounds which are directly adjacent to the fire site hosted the 32nd annual event as planned Friday and Saturday nights. The rubble was removed through a big effort from friends and neighbors, Dennis Dostal said Friday night.

The Dostals are well known for the rodeos as well as their Double D Auction business.

Toledo firefighters were summoned about 8:35 p.m. last Wednesday when the fire was reported. Fire departments from Garwin, Traer and Clutier were called for mutual aid.

"The rodeo crews were all there working on projects around the farm at that time," Melinda Dostal said. "They spotted black smoke coming out of the machine shed roof." She said, "Denny (Dostal) and a kid tried to go inside after they realized what was happening, but the ceiling was already caving in." No livestock was lost.

Toledo Fire Chief Joe Boll said Thursday afternoon investigation showed the fire was determined to have been caused by an electrical problem. There was no dollar estimate of the loss yet, he said.

Firefighters from Garwin, Traer and Clutier were summoned for mutual aid to battle the fire which threatened the Dostal house, Boll said. Siding on the home, located south of the buildings, was melted by the intense heat.

Firefighters from the four departments used 38,000 gallons of water in controlling the blaze. They were able to draw some water for fire tanker trucks from a Poweshiek Rural Water tower located about a mile south of the farm, Boll said. Other water was brought from Garwin.

Toledo firefighters also used foam to quell the blaze, Boll said.

All of the Dostals horse drawn equipment- stagecoach, covered wagon, a newer trolly - were destroyed in the blaze Wednesday night. The equipment is used in the annual rodeo and for parades and rides. The fire raced through a large storage building and what Dostal said was an "old grainery."

The storage building was a Morton Building constructed in the 1970s, she said.

An antique Model A which Dennis had rebuilt "from a bucket of bolts in the 1970s", a vintage pickup restored by their son Darin, and shop equipment were all destroyed, Melinda said. An early Allis-Chalmers D21 tractor, restored by Dennis, was also lost.

Fire Chief Boll said two other tractors were also lost.

Firefighters were able to save one antique car which Dennis had planned to restore, Melinda Dostal said.

She said she was in Marshalltown when informed of the fire. She said she was accompanied by grandchildren and that may have been fortunate because they could have been in or near the buildings if at the home.