Damage Estimated at $2 Million in Rural Scotts Bluff County Shop Fire

Damage Estimated at $2 Million in Rural Scotts Bluff County Shop Fire
Murphy/KNEB/RRN
December 1st, 2022 | KNEB Staff

Fire officials say damage is estimated at $2 million to the contents and structure in a fire that broke out at a shop in rural Scotts Bluff County Thursday morning.

Scottsbluff Rural Fire Chief Carissa Schank says her department was called to a fully involved structure fire at 240207 Seagull Road around 7 a.m., finding a large mechanic shop and an attached office in flames and emitting heavy black smoke.

Schank says mutual aid was immediately requested from Minatare and Mitchell Fire for tankers due to the high fuel load and distance to water. Difficulty getting to the fire source caused by the metal skin of the building prompted additional mutual aid calls to the Gering Rural, Morrill, Bayard, Banner County and WNRA Fire Departments, primarily for water, plus City of Scottsbluff Fire for additional personnel. In all, some 35 firefighters were on scene during the battle.

Schank says the fire was knocked down in about an hour and a half, and it took another 45 minutes to help get the blaze under control with the use of heavy equipment. Mop-up continued until all units cleared the scene about 1 p.m.

Schank says the State Fire Marshal was called, and the cause of the fire was determined to be a faulty waste oil boiler.

No one at the address was injured, however, Schank said one firefighter was taken from the scene to Regional West due to heat exhaustion.

A home on the property was not damaged.

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