Furnace cause of Neapco fire

Daily Sun staff

A heat-treating furnace was the cause of a roof fire Thursday morning at Neapco, officials said.

The furnace connected to an exhaust fan on a roof was the cause of a small fire that started at the Beatrice industry about 6:30 a.m. Thursday, Jim Engel, Beatrice Rural Fire chief, said.

A total of 10 Rural Beatrice firefighters and two Beatrice firefighters responded to the fire. Upon arrival, flames were seen exiting an exhaust fan on the top of the roof, Engel said.

The fire in the exhaust fan was extinguished and it was determined that the origin of the fire started in a heat-treating furnace below the fan.

With the assistance of Neapco employees, firefighters were able to extinguish the furnace fire with a dry chemical extinguisher.

Damage was sustained to the exhaust fan and the furnace, Engel said. There was no damage to the building or contents.