Kearney home lost in Saturday night blaze

KEARNEY, Neb. --

A mobile home in Kearney is unlivable after fire ripped through the back half of the residence on Saturday night.

The call came in at 5:50 p.m. for a structure fire at the Countryside Trailer Court near the intersection of Railroad St. and 15th Ave.

The man who lives there tells News Channel Nebraska he was caught between a rock and a hard place. The home does not have suitable insulation, so when the temperatures get as cold as they did the last couple of nights, the only option he has to keep the water pipes from freezing and bursting is to use a propane heater.

The man says the heater sparked some of the insulation and flames ignited quickly.

When fire fighters from the Kearney Volunteer Fire Department arrived, they located flames in the southwest and south side of the residence. While their quick response was able to keep the building upright, siding, insulation, and windows were all ripped out or destroyed while battling the blaze. They were able to quell the fire in around one hour.

There were no injuries reported, although the family has lost almost everything within the home, including clothing and hygiene necessities. They were attempting to salvage anything they could from the home on Sunday.