Scooter's Coffee survives overnight fire

NEBRASKA CITY – Nebraska City firefighters say a hospital employee called in the Scooter’s Coffee fire early enough Friday morning to save the building.

Firefighters were dispatched shortly after 2 a.m. and arrived to find a working fire on the driveway side of the building. It looked like an exterior fire, but they soon discovered the fire had spread to inside of the wall and was reaching into the attic area.

An interior crew entered the building to extinguish the fire and contained fire damage to the corner. There was widespread smoke and water damage, but the serving area and equipment were saved.

Firefighters say the fire had a head start, but it could have been a much worse outcome had the CHI Health St. Mary's employee not looked over to see the fire.

About 3,000 gallons of water was used to bring the fire under control.

Store owner Lindsey Jochim said she is hoping to re-open the drive-through portion of the business in two weeks.

Jochim: “We’ll be back serving the community.”

The fire started in a planter outside of the building. It followed an electrical outlet to go inside of the wall, where is was initially contained between sheets of drywall.

The state fire marshal’s preliminary investigation indicates that careless disposal of smoking material is the cause of the fire.

The store first opened at 2104 S. 11th St. in February of 2016.