An early-morning structure fire on Thursday that sent two people to the hospital was determined to be intentionally set.
On Feb. 4 at 6:33 a.m. the Alliance Fire Department responded to a report of smoke coming from the basement of a home located in the 1100 block of Platte Avenue. When crews arrived at 6:40 a.m., they observed little to no smoke showing from the front of the home.
Upon entry, firefighters observed a moderate amount of smoke coming from the basement. They located the fire in a room on the west side of the home. After locating the fire, they quickly extinguished it and ventilated the smoke from the home.
One woman and a male juvenile were inside the home at the time of the fire, and were transported to Box Butte General Hospital to be observed for possible smoke inhalation.
The Alliance Fire Department received assistance from the City of Alliance Public Works Department, City of Alliance Electrical Department, Black Hills Energy and the Alliance Police Department. The Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s Investigation Division assisted the department with the investigation. On Feb. 5, the Alliance Fire Department announced that, through an investigation and interviews conducted by the investigators, the fire was intentionally set.
The case remains under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office, and more information will be shared when the investigation is complete.