113 N. 4th St.

NEBRASKA CITY –  Nebraska City firefighters rescued a Nebraska City couple from their burning home Thursday night at 113 N. 4th St.

911 dispatch: “Advising it’s very smoky. They’re in the bedroom on the second floor.”

The call was dispatched at 9:26 p.m. as two people trapped upstairs with the fire below.

Asst. Fire Chief Brian Ehmke: “When we arrived on the scene we did see smoke and flame. We immediately went to a victim rescue. We had a little trouble getting into the house. We did finally get into the house. We got both parties extricated from the house and they were taken to a local hospital.”

Inside there was heavy smoke, but a 911 dispatcher still had a woman on the phone who helped lead rescuers up the stairs into the room.

Ehmke: “They were on the phone with fire dispatch with the sheriff’s office and they relayed the information to us, which helped to be able to find them.”

Fire Chief Rob Schreiner said the 911 dispatcher is also a firefighter.

Schreiner: “He kept them calm. They could’ve panicked and ran into the hall or whatever and could’ve made the situation worse, but he kept them calm. … stay there, they’re coming for you. They were telling him they couldn’t breathe and he’s working with them to mitigate the problem and our guys were working to get to them.”

Both John and Joan Dutt sustained smoke inhalation, according to their daughter Anne. The dispatcher had the couple stay close to the floor and was in contact with firefighters inside of the burning building. One of the victims was helped out and the other was carried out.

Anne Dutt said Friday morning that both of her parents are doing well. 

Dutt: “I thought that I was going to lose them because I was so … I’m still shaken up today, but I’ve got family and friends that are helping out.”

Ehmke said there was a secondary report that an infant might be in the house, so the search continued. Two dogs were rescued, including Mr. Dutt’s therapy dog.

 

 Photo by Hank Walters

Meanwhile, a second interior crew was battling the fire, which was away from the upstairs hallway.

Ehmke: “The fire was contained to the back of the residence. Of course we had smoke throughout the house, but the fire was quickly knocked down and we were able to get them down through the stairway.”

Three Nebraska City rescue units responded. The Dutts were transported to CHI Health St. Mary’s and John was taken by medical helicopter to a Lincoln hospital. A doctor from the hospital returned with an ambulance to the scene to assist with heat stress for firefighters. The Nebraska City Airport reports 89 percent humidity at the time of the fire.

Dutt: “I would say thank you for rescuing my parents and thank you for being there to help. I’m glad we have a great community and rescue squad that will help our community out.”

Schreiner said the city recently purchased a quarter million dollars worth of new SCBA equipment and firefighters train regularly on rescue operations during a structure fire.