NEBRASKA CITY – Nebraska City firefighters scrambled for safety early Tuesday morning when the burning roof on an 11th Corso house collapsed.

Fire Chief Rob Schreiner said the back end of the vacant house at 702 11th Corso was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived shortly after 3:44 a.m.

There is steep, slippery mud bank near the creek bed that firefighters navigated to start suppressing the fire, but the roof of the 112-year-old house collapsed about 10 minutes later.

 

Chief Schreiner said a couple of firefighters had to scramble to safety, but no one was hurt.

The house, owned by Michael Ragland, has not had electrical or gas service. Ragland suspects it was the target of squatters.

 

The aerial truck was used to knocked down the fire.

Two utility employees working on Fifth Street noticed ash falling and investigated. They called in the fire.

A cause of the fire has not been determined.