Kearney, Neb. — The Kearney Volunteer Fire Department (KVFD) was dispatched shortly before 2:00 a.m. Wednesday to a structure fire near 39th Street and Imperial Avenue. KVFD members found a large storage building, which is used to store dry fertilizer, on fire at Aurora Cooperative east of Kearney. KVFD requested mutual aid from Gibbon, Elm Creek, Pleasanton, and Good Samaritan EMS. 9 tankers, 3 engines, 3 grass rigs, 3 utility trucks and 49 firefighters responded to the scene.
Buffalo County Department of Roads assisted by supplying an excavator to remove debris from the structure so crews could extinguish the fire. Crews brought the fire under control at 4:34 a.m. The structure was a total loss. The State Fire Marshal was requested to assist with the cause and origin investigation. The cause of the fire has been identified as an electrical issue. There were no injuries reported. The estimated dollar loss is $700,000.
