Fire destroys garage, damages home

Fire destroyed the garage attached to the home at 505 E. First in McCook Friday evening, and heat and smoke damaged the home and contents. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Gazette)

McCOOK, Neb. -- Fire officials say the fire that destroyed the attached garage and damaged the home at 505 E. First in McCook Friday evening started in the area of a space heater in the garage.

Renters Nicki Brown and Adam Hajek and their children were not home at the time, and their dog and cat escaped unharmed.

McCook Fire Chief Marc Harpham said this morning that the property, owned by Ryan and Jennifer Wilcox of Indianola, sustained approximately $40,000 in damages to the garage and house, and $20,000 to the contents.

Harpham said the fire was reported at 9:01 p.m.; 12 firefighters were on the scene at 9:05 p.m. with an ambulance, pumper truck and ladder truck.

Harpham said the fire destroyed the garage and its contents, and extended into the wall of the house where it is attached to the garage.

He also said that there was some heat damage in the home and extensive smoke damage throughout the home.

Harpham explained that they know the fire started in the area of a space heater in the garage, but the cause of the fire is undetermined after investigation by his department and a Nebraska state fire marshal.

Nicki Brown said this morning that the home is unlivable, and they have salvaged what furniture they can and are moving into another house this week.

Nicki said that she and her family had gone to supper with friends that evening and discovered the street blocked with an ambulance and fire trucks upon their arrival back home.

"The garage was engulfed in flames," she said, but their dog, who was in the garage, had gotten herself out unharmed.

Nicki and Adam had planned to start a new business, called "(308)Restaurant Runners," to deliver foods from a group of McCook restaurants, on Monday, Feb. 15, but, Nicki said, they'll have to put it off for week or so as they move into a new home and get a new office up and running.

They'll announce the grand opening of (308)Restaurant Runners as soon as they can.

Harpham said his firefighters were on the scene until 1:10 a.m., Saturday.