Fire damages Nebraska City house – KMAland

(Nebraska City) -- Firefighters from Nebraska City battled a fire inside an older residence Friday morning.

Firefighters were sent to a house located at 1606 5th Corso shortly after 8 a.m. Nebraska City Fire Chief Alan Viox tells KMA News smoke was coming from the structure's roof upon arrival.

"When we got there, we had some light smoke coming from the structure, itself, and through the roof," said Viox. "When we went up into the house to investigate, and our 360-degree walk around, we saw fire in a bedroom that was on the west side of the house. It was more of a bedroom that wasn't used anymore--they don't have kids there anymore. It was used as a storage area, but it was still classified as a bedroom."

Viox says fire was climbing an interior wall upon arrival, as well. He says the house sustained considerable damage.

"On the interior walls, it was an older house," he said. "It was a balloon frame construction house. The fire started on an interior wall, went up through an attic. Structurally, it's still there, but there was some fire damage to the rafters in the attic. So, basically, it's probably 30% damaged from the value of the structure, I would guess."

Viox says it took firefighters approximately 45 minutes to bring the fire under control. A preliminary investigation determined the cause of the fire was electrical in nature.

"Somebody had done some remodeling through the years," said Viox, "and actually drove a nail through the wires that went to a receptacle in a switch. Over the years, it just finally shorted out, and that's where the fire started."

The State Fire Marshal's Office has been called in to conduct a full investigation. Viox says the house's two occupants escaped without injury. Firefighters were at the scene for more than three hours.

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Fire damages Nebraska City house - KMAland