BEATRICE – Fire destroyed a car just north of Beatrice Monday afternoon.  Beatrice Rural and City fire personnel were sent to an area east of U.S. Highway 77 on Hickory Road, a few minutes after two p.m.

Flames engulfed the auto, but there were no injuries.  Beatrice Rural Fire Chief Matt Langley says occupants of the vehicle, including children, got out of the car without injury.  They were walking along the road toward the nearby Beatrice Community Hospital when fire personnel arrived on scene.

Fire personnel were on the scene for about 40 minutes, and a part of East Hickory Road was closed for a while.   The road was reopened by about 3:25 p.m.

The cause of the fire is being investigated by Gage County Sheriff’s Deputies and a state fire marshal investigator.