Fire near New Albin results in property owner being taken into custody, treated for minor burns

The Allamakee County Sheriff's Department was dispatched to a garage fire at 2270 Wheatland Road in rural New Albin Tuesday, December 13 at approximately 10:19 a.m. The New Albin Fire Department responded to the fire and battled the blaze, finding the garage fully engulfed when they arrived.

According to reports from the Allamakee County Sheriff's office, property owner Mark Colsch had entered the adjacent residence and, according to on-scene responders, did have an axe in his possession. The report indicates the first Allamakee County Sheriff's Deputy on scene instructed Colsch to exit the burning building and Colsch refused to comply. When other officers arrived, Colsch reportedly did exit the structure and was very verbally aggressive toward officers. Colsch was ordered numerous times to vacate the burning building.

After being verbally aggressive toward officers, Colsch reportedly approached officers in an aggressive manner as he emerged from the building and was taken into custody by law enforcement. Colsch was then transported by the New Albin Ambulance Service to Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon for treatment of smoke inhalation and minor burns.

The incident remains under investigation by the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office. No foul play is suspected in regard to the origin of the fire. Assisting at the scene of the incident was the Houston County Sheriff’s Department out of Minnesota, the Iowa State Patrol and the New Albin Fire Department.