Structure fire displaces Bayard resident

BAYARD - A faulty chimney pipe from a wood-burning stove is blamed for a structure fire in Bayard at 10:06 p.m. Saturday.

The Bayard Fire Department says a fire in the attic at a former church, turned into a residence, at 626 Ave. C breached the roof when emergency personnel arrived on scene. Fire fighters began an interior attack until a partial collapse of the roof caused them to withdraw to an exterior attack.

According to a press release, the blaze spread rapidly along the interior roof ride and involved the entire attic space. Fire departments from Bayard, Minatare, and Gering were able to extinguish the fire before it burned out the attic area.

Most of the structure and the contents inside were lost due to water and smoke damage. A single resident of the building was displaced and is being assisted by the Firefighter Ministry. 

Morrill County ALS, Bayard Police, Morrill County Sheriff, Nebraska State Fire Marshall, and Region 21 Emergency Management also responded to the scene.