BELLEVUE - A body was found Monday in an upstairs apartment after seven fire departments battled a downtown building blaze in Bellevue Sunday night.

Fire Chief Chris Roling said firefighters found the body about 2:30 a.m. in an upstairs apartment of the building at 106 N. 2nd St.

The Jackson County medical examiner plans to send the body to Ankeny for identification. The name of the victim is being withheld until a positive identification is made.

The blaze was reported at 9:40 p.m. Sunday. Firefighters initially were told it was a vehicle fire at 106 N. 2nd St. The fire station is less than a block from the three-story apartment building. Roling said as they climbed into their trucks, they were informed there was some type of explosion and the upstairs apartment was on fire.

"I don't know what it was. We didn't hear it at the fire station," Roling said. "I also don't know if the vehicle fire caused the fire in the apartment."

The state Fire Marshal's office has been called in to determine the origin and cause of the fire and will release information on the body.

Roling said fire officials did not find the body until several hours after they fought the fire. When they arrived, flames were coming through the roof, so they couldn't go inside the building. Firefighters did what he called a "defensive" move, where they sprayed water from the outside of the building.

"We didn't find the body until we were doing our overhaul of the building about 2:30 a.m.," he said.

Six other fire departments were called for assistance. Maquoketa and Savanna brought aerial trucks. Preston, LaMotte, Andrew and Springbrook firefighters assisted. Miles Fire Department was put on standby in case there were fires elsewhere in the county. Clinton Fire Department was called to bring an aerial truck but declined because of road conditions.

"It's a good thing Maquoketa and Savanna brought their aerial trucks or it could have been much worse," Roling said. "I'm not upset Clinton didn't come. I didn't realize the roads were as bad as they were. Just before our fire, they had some accidents in the area. You don't want people getting hurt."

Roling said other people in the two upstairs apartments at 106 N. 2nd St. along with apartments in adjacent buildings were evacuated.

The structure at 106 N. 2nd St. is still standing, but Roling called it a total loss. He estimated $400,000 for the building, plus $60,000 to $80,000 for contents. Adjacent buildings received smoke and water damage. The adjacent apartment dwellers were expected to return after the power was restored. The downstairs part of the building houses Ludovissy Associates Insurance.

The American Red Cross assisted the residents in finding a place to stay with friends and family overnight. They also provided hot chocolate and coffee at the Bellevue Fire Station for firefighters during the night.

Most departments had returned to their stations by 5 a.m., and the Bellevue department remained to monitor the fire scene.

Weather was a factor in the fire. Lyn Medinger, a Bellevue firefighter and county emergency management director, said the temperatures and type of fire were similar to the January fire in Maquoketa where firefighters from 30 departments battled a downtown blaze that destroyed four buildings.

Gary Griebel, Bellevue firefighter, said the thermometer at the station registered zero and with the wind blowing, he estimated it was 25 below zero during the fire. He said there were no equipment breakdowns.

Griebel said one ambulance crew member fell and hit his head and was taken to Mercy Hospital in Dubuque, where he was treated and released. Roling said one firefighter was also taken to the hospital with elevated blood pressure.

A Canadian Pacific train had to wait at the south edge of town until the fire hoses were cleared from the track.