Fire Damages Tribe Police Department in Okla.

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Oct. 26--STILLWATER, Okla. -- A fire in a vehicle parking bay adjacent to the Iowa Tribe Police Department caused an estimated $175,000 in damage, Perkins fire Chief Joe Barta said.

Firefighters went to the scene at about 8:40 p.m. Tuesday. They saw heavy smoke coming from the building and found a fire in the parking bay, Barta said.

No one was injured, he said.

The fire started in a corner of the parking bay, which was also used for storage. Tables and an all-terrain vehicle on a trailer were in the area where the fire started, Barta said. The fire consumed everything in the parking and storage bay and breached a firewall in the attic, he said.

The fire entered the main building, but firefighters contained it to the attic and minimized damage, Barta said.

"I would estimate we saved several hundred thousand dollars in dispatch equipment and structure," Barta said.

Barta estimates structure damage totals $100,000 and content loss totals about $75,000.

The police department's limited access to certain areas made it difficult for firefighters to gain access to certain areas, Barta said.

Barta could not determine the cause of the fire. He contacted the Office of the Oklahoma State Fire Marshal, but the fire marshal will not investigate the cause because of jurisdictional issues, Barta said.

"They declined any authority on tribal land," Barta said. "We'll turn it over to the tribe. I saw no evidence of foul play."

The Perkins Fire Department got help from Tryon, Carney and Agra fire departments. Perkins police, Perkins Emergency Management, Lincoln County Emergency Management and Iowa Tribe departments also helped.

All emergency calls made in Perkins are routed to the Iowa Tribe Police Department. For now, the Stillwater Police Department will answer those calls, Perkins police Chief Robert Williams said.