Four vacant buildings along Ericson's Main Street were destroyed in the fire reported between 2:30 a.m. and 3 a.m. CDT, City Clerk-Treasure Jack Poulsen said.
Poulsen said firefighters did a good job of preventing the fire from spreading to other nearby buildings and dwellings in the town of 104, located 62 miles north of Grand Island.
Firefighters from Ericson, Spalding, Bartlett and Burwell assisted in controlling the fire. The blaze was all but out by about 5 a.m., Poulsen said.
The buildings destroyed were an old grocery store, a vacant house and two commercial buildings. Poulsen said one or more of the buildings may have been used for some storage, but the structures were largely empty.
No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was under investigation.