Farnam, Nebraska Fire Hall Burns Monday
A passing teacher called in the fire at about 6:45 p.m., according to Fire Chief Rod Klein.
When the call came, firemen may have found it peculiar, as a meeting was already set for 7:30 p.m. at the hall. On the agenda for that meeting was, of all things, if they needed to proceed in securing a grant for a new fire hall.
Klein, who lives just a block away, explained that the fire had fully engulfed the building by the time he arrived. "It was pitch black down to within three feet of the floor," he said of the intense smoke in the metal building.
Firemen from Eustis, Curtis and Cozad responded to fight the fire, which was finally extinguished around 10:30 p.m. Gothenburg firemen arrived afterward to help with the clean up.
Inside the structure were several vehicles, of which all but three were rescued. A new water pump truck, recently purchased with a FEMA grant, was one of the units saved with relatively little damage. "This was the first fire that I had to save the truck to fight the fire," joked Klein.
The truck will likely need to be refurbished due to smoke damage and damage from the intense heat, Klein thought. Other units, such as the two ambulances, were moved to a nearby elevator where insurance adjusters were reviewing the damage Tuesday afternoon.
"All the medical stuff has to be replaced," said training officer Travis Netzler, referring to supplies on the rescue units.
The blaze claimed no human victims, but destroyed three vehicles, a city pump truck, a 4x4 grass rig and a water truck and much of the unit's firefighting gear. "I was more worried about saving the truck and getting the fire out than the bunker gear," said Klein.
Also lost are records for the unit and user manuals for the equipment. "We are working with the state to get that replaced," said Netzler.
The community room, located under the same roof, suffered severe smoke damage, but was protected by the brick structure separating the two entities. Some items that were stored above the community room were lost.
The cause of the fire was deemed to be a 12-volt pump motor that was used to disperse foam over blazes.
Within hours after the fire, alternate procedures were in place to maintain the area's fire coverage. The remaining trucks have been relocated at the school, the city shop building, and a local elevator and even to Klein's personal shop.
Dawson County Emergency Manager Brian Woldt was in contact with surrounding fire units and was successful in locating gear to help the Farnam firemen while insurance sifts through the debris. As of Tuesday afternoon, bunker gear from Cozad and Lexington was made available and Eustis had offered its ambulance until Farnam's vehicles were cleared to return to service. "Ogallala even called this morning and offered a pumper truck if we needed it," said Klein.
As to the future, Klein has taken a 'wait and see' attitude. "We have to wait for the insurance end of it," he said. "Then we'll decide if w need to still apply for a grant. We need to see how the insurance pays out."