A fire actively consumes the home located at 2376 220th Street southwest of Traer on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Both the home – built in 1920 – and garage were completely destroyed. PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE KADRMAS/FACEBOOK

TRAER – In the words of Traer historian George Kadrmas, ‘a grand old home’ located southwest of Traer was destroyed by fire on the afternoon of Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.

“A grand old home burned to the ground last week,” Kadrmas posted Nov. 24 to the Facebook public group St. Vaclav Church, Clutier, Iowa, alongside a photograph of the fire consuming the home. “For many years this was the home of the Albert and Mary (Palacek) Podhajsky family. Theodore Podhajsky lived in the home until 1981. Randy Kvidera bought [the] acreage and restored the house in the 1980s. Sad to see a landmark lost.”

According to the Tama County Sheriff’s Office, a structure fire at 2376 220th Street southwest of Traer in Carroll Township was reported on Nov. 18, at 1:22 p.m. Online property records indicate the 1920 home is owned by the Richard R Vander Mey Revocable Trust which assumed ownership in 2022 from Richard R Vander Mey. Vander Mey purchased the home in 2013.

When reached by the newspaper following the devastating fire, Traer Fire Chief Tyler Sell said the occupant of the home had called 911. His department arrived at the fire within 12 minutes (1:34 p.m.) of the call being placed.

“Fortunately we had numbers (volunteers) just a few blocks from the station, and were enroute very quickly,” Sell said. “The garage was already collapsed on arrival.”

The home located at 2376 220th Street, Traer, photographed prior to the fire. IMAGE COURTESY OF THE TAMA COUNTY ASSESSOR'S OFFICE

The chief said the fire started in the garage and by the time the occupant realized what was happening, the garage was already fully engulfed.

Upon arrival, Traer Fire’s first task was to deal with an LP tank located directly behind the garage that was venting due to the extreme heat of the fire.

“That required immediate attention. The tank could have exploded, so we had to deal with that first [and] that gave the house time to get going more” Sell explained. “[Once] we got that resolved, we started working on the house.”

Due to the winds that day and the home’s construction, Sell said a lot of water was required, but it still wasn’t enough.

“We just could not get it to stop. When the home became structurally unsafe, we removed everyone from the building (and let it burn itself out).”

All that remains of the home and garage located at 2376 220th Street in rural Traer as pictured on Thursday, Nov. 20 — two days after a devastating fire ignited in the garage. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

When the call initially came in that Tuesday afternoon, Sell said he had 911/Dispatch page Gladbrook Fire and Rescue. Once Traer Fire arrived at the fire, Dispatch was asked to additionally page Toledo Fire which brought along Tama Fire.

“This event had the four departments there and we were working very well together,” Sell said.

It was dark – nearing 8 p.m. – by the time Traer Fire was able to leave, Sell said. And while there were no injuries to either the occupant nor those fighting the fire, both the home and garage were a complete loss. As to what started the fire, Sell said he wasn’t certain, but there was “some equipment in the garage” that could have provided the spark.

Traer Fire was assisted in its response by Gladbrook, Toledo, and Tama fire departments along with Tama County Sheriff Casey Schmidt, three deputies, EMA Director Ryan Goodenbour, and Traer EMS.

“We really appreciate all the other departments’ help,” Sell said.