Overton, Neb. — Elm Creek Volunteer Fire Department responded to a mutal aid request from Overton Volunteer Fire Department at 5:35 a.m. Thursday for a structure fire.
Overton Fire Chief Steve Ryan says, while on the way to the fire at Road 75781 Road 447, northeast of Overton, he paged Elm Creek for assistance with tankers and manpower.
Then he learned that an ambulance was needed.
First responders and CHS Health Good Samaritan paramedics determined homeowner, David Else, was suffering from smoke inhalation at the scene. After checking him, it was determined he did not need to be transported to the hospital. Ryan says the house was heavily damaged…
Verbatim: “When we arrived on scene, the house was fully involved, part of the roof had already caved in and fire was going through the roof. The day before they had a lot of lightning strikes out in that area. And When Dave went home that afternoon the breakers were blown in his house and he reset them. The Fire Marshal is believing it was an electrical fire from the power surge from the lightning strike the day before.”
Ryan says the Fire Marshal is going to have the power company investigate to determine when there were power surges prior to the fire.
Ryan says Overton took 4 trucks and 9 personnel — and — Elm Creek took 4 trucks and 8 personnel.
Ryan says it’s fortunate the house was equipped with working smoke detectors, otherwise Else might not have made it out of the house in time.
