Friday night fire displaces 7

Family in immediate need of temporary shelter

[December 27, 2011]  At 10:05 p.m. Friday, the Lincoln Fire Department responded to a call from a resident who had discovered a fire in a mattress. The mattress was in the garage attached to a single-story home at 209 Galena St. in Lincoln.

Upon arrival of the Lincoln Fire Department, all occupants were out of the house. The fire displaced seven people who were staying in the home.

The Lincoln Fire Department entry team encountered heavy smoke in the house. The fire heavily damaged the garage but was stopped before the house was damaged severely.

Lincoln Fire was assisted at the scene by off-duty department members, Atlanta Fire and Lincoln Rural. The Mount Pulaski Fire Department was staged at the Lincoln station with off-duty Lincoln personnel to cover other 911 calls.

The American Red Cross was also on the scene to assist the occupants before Lincoln Fire cleared the scene.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Preliminary damage estimates by the Lincoln Fire Department are said to begin around $35,000. No injuries were reported from the scene.

Steve Schumacher, principal of Zion Lutheran School, says the family is in immediate need of shelter as well as many other personal items. If someone can offer the family a place to temporarily stay, they can contact him at 737-1858.

Schumacher said four of the family's children attend Zion Lutheran School.

To help the family, a fund called the Carlin Children Benefit has been started at State Bank of Lincoln and contributions will be gratefully accepted.

[Text received from lead investigator Tim Aper and Chief Mark Miller of the Lincoln Fire Department and Steve Schumacher, Zion Lutheran School principal]