STOCKPORT, IA — A quiet Friday morning on Honeymoon Street was shattered by tragedy as a fierce structure fire claimed the life of a local resident, sending shockwaves through the small southeast Iowa community.
Officials confirmed that 44-year-old Leslie Owens perished in the blaze that erupted at 110 Honeymoon Street. The Van Buren County 911 Center received the urgent call around 6:30 a.m., swiftly mobilizing emergency crews from Stockport, Birmingham, Keosauqua, and Bonaparte, alongside the Van Buren County Ambulance service.
Despite the rapid and valiant response from firefighters, the outcome was devastating. Van Buren County Sheriff Brad Hudson, in a somber afternoon statement, confirmed the heartbreaking news of Owens’ death.
In the wake of the fire, the scene has been turned over to investigators tasked with unraveling the cause of the tragedy. The Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Office has launched a full investigation into the origin and circumstances of the fire. As part of the process, the body of Leslie Owens has been transported to the Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny for an autopsy, which will formally determine the precise cause of death.
The community of Stockport is now left to mourn the loss of one of its own, as investigators work diligently to provide answers to the questions surrounding this fatal fire.