Two Lincoln Area Fires Early Thursday Being Investigated

LINCOLN–(KFOR Jan. 2)–An unoccupied home just west of Lincoln goes up in flames, while two units of a south Lincoln apartment catch on fire about an hour apart early Thursday morning.

Fire crews from Malcolm and other nearby departments were called to the 6300 block of West Holdrege Street around 3am Thursday and when crews arrived, the house was fully engulfed in flames. Lancaster County Chief Deputy Sheriff Ben Houchin says the house was a total loss and the homeowner estimated the loss to be around $350,000.

Houchin says it was determined through the course of the investigation that the fire was an arson. No one was hurt and no one had lived in the home for quite some time. Houchin says the house was being used for storage space.  The State Fire Marshal is helping in the investigation.

Then around 4am Thursday at the Lodge Apartments southeast of 40th and Nebraska Parkway, a fire call came out. According to LFR, careless smoking is to blame for causing $25,000 in fire damage that displaced four people from two units. No one was hurt.