RIVERDALE — A home north of Riverdale suffered extensive fire damage and a partial structural collapse on Tuesday, Oct. 10.
At 12:19 p.m., the Kearney Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to 175th Road for the report of a structure fire that had been called in by a passerby.
When crews arrived, the fire had been in progress for some time, and they found heavy smoke and flames coming from the north end of the structure.
Firefighters pulled hose lines and applied water to the fire from the exterior while other personnel established a water supply, per the KVFD.
Crews were able to quickly extinguish the bulk of the fire and then conducted a search of the residence, but no occupants were home at the time of the fire.
Firefighters were faced with the challenge of accessing several void spaces in the house where small fires burned and were smoldering. This caused crews to remain on scene for an extended period conducting the overhaul.
The fire was considered under control by 4:36 p.m.
The home suffered extensive fire damage and a structural collapse on the north end, with heavy smoke and heat damage throughout the rest of the structure.
The KVFD was assisted by the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, Dawson Public Power, Black Hills Energy, Pleasanton Volunteer Fire Department, Amherst Volunteer Fire Department and the Red Cross.
The Nebraska State Fire Marshal was called in to investigate the origin of the fire. The cause is still under investigation, but the fire is believed to have started in the basement of the structure, per the KVFD.
