BLUE SPRINGS –A house fire in Blue Springs early Thursday resulted in a fatality and four occupants being taken for burn injuries to hospitals.
Blue Springs, Wymore and Beatrice Firefighters responded to the fire at around 4 a.m.
Beatrice Fire Captain Corey Lieneman said a child died in the fire….one person was taken to Bryan West Health Center in Lincoln with life-threatening burn injuries. Three others were taken to Beatrice Community Hospital in stable condition. The child who died was found in a bedroom of the home.
The house, located at the north edge of the Gage County village next to a ball field, was destroyed in the blaze. Wymore Fire Chief Mark Meints described the scene when firefighters arrived.
“There were some people who met us as we arrived on scene. The house was fully engulfed…fire coming out of all sides of the house. The fire also extended to vehicles and some materials that were outside of the house. We did make an attempt to enter the house, but the fire was too hot…too much fire to make entry to the house. So, we basically had to attack the fire from outside.”
Beatrice Fire and Rescue and Wymore Rescue ambulances were at the scene. Meints said between the three departments, about 25 firefighters were battling the blaze.
“We have a safety officer from Wymore doing an accountability to keep track of all our firefighters, and make sure we stay safe.”
A Nebraska Fire Marshal investigator was summoned to the scene to investigate the cause of the fire…which was described as accidental. A news release from the Fire Marshal’s office says an adult male was taken to St. Elizabeth’s Burn Center in Lincoln with life-threatening injuries. An adult female and two children were taken to Beatrice Community Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The home is near the intersection of Cherry and Grant Streets, in Blue Springs.
