A thunderstorm that produced heavy rain and lightning is blamed for a house fire in Syracuse and an alarm for Hamburg firefighters.
Luetta Bruns of 1830 Birch St. called Syracuse officials after hearing a crash around 9:30 p.m. An Otoe County sheriff’s deputy reported seeing smoke from the attic area a few moments later.
Bruns and two other residents living in an adjacent part of the duplex evacuated.
Syracuse Fire Chief Bruce Neeman said investigators could see where lightning struck the roof and traveled down a dryer vent to the area of the fire.
He said the fire was easily extinguished, but firefighters had to remove a portion of the wall insulation to make sure it did not contain any smoldering material.
Residents were not cleared to return home until the duplex was inspected this morning. Significant repairs are needed for the Bruns’ residence.
Hamburg firefighters were called to 12347 Highway 275 shortly after the thunderstorm passed Fremont County. Four units and 10 firefighters responded. A nearby lightning strike is blamed for popping fuses in the house.
Rainfall, which was reported as high as three inches in two hours at Palmyra, sent water over a low area of Highway 275 north of Hamburg and near the ballpark.
Water was also reported over Highway 50 south of Syracuse and areas near Palmyra. Street crews were notified of a washout on Highway 50 near railroad tracks at Park Street in Syracuse.
Otoe County Emergency Management Director Gregg Goebel said flooding was confined to low-lying areas prone to flooding.
In Nebraska City, there were a few branches knocked down and a trampoline was blown over onto a vehicle.
