BREAKING: Early Thursday Morning Fire Heavily Damages Bennet Area Business

BENNET–(KFOR Jan. 6)–Fire departments from Bennet, Palmyra, Douglas, Southeast Rural and Hickman have spent much of Thursday morning handling a large fire just outside of Bennet.

Lancaster County Chief Deputy Sheriff Ben Houchin said the two-level building that houses Vogt Excavating near 120th and Roca Road was fully involved in flames, when crews arrived at the scene.  As of 9:30am Thursday, the fire was still burning, according to Houchin, and a burn permit was issued by Bennet Fire officials after the decision was made to not totally put out the fire.

Officials with the Palmyra-Bennet school district also sent a school bus to help keep firefighters warm, as they rotate crews in and out the extremely cold temperatures to handle the fire.  Houchin said no one was in the building at the time and nobody was hurt.

No word yet on the cause of the fire, but some early estimates indicate that damage could exceed over $1-million.  The State Fire Marshal is handling the investigation.