Electrical fire destroys semi and building east of Fairbury

FAIRBURY, Neb. -- Another electrical fire set ablaze a semi and building east of Fairbury Thursday, calling over 30 firefighters to respond. 

Jefferson County Dispatch received a call at 12:04 p.m. Thursday, regarding a semi on fire east of Fairbury, east of Garber’s. 

Fire personnel were on the scene in four minutes and found a semi tractor involved and starting to spread to a building beside the semi. 

Due to the spread to the large shop building, mutual aid was requested from Jansen and Diller for water tenders and personnel and a request was made for all Fairbury water tenders to be enroute. 

The first engine arrived within nine minutes of the page and personnel extinguished the semi and then the building. 

The fire was knocked down within 10 minutes. 

After the remaining fire was knocked down, the crews remained on the scene for another hour and a half, completing overhaul on an office area of the building and ensuring there were no remaining hotspots.

The cause of the fire seemed to be an electrical malfunction with the dash area of the semi. The semi had been used within an hour prior to the fire call. The semi tractor, the building and pickup inside are a total loss. 

There were no injuries and over 30 firefighters and 12 fire apparatus were on the scene.