House collapse in Lincoln leaves family with a total loss

 

[April 10, 2019] 

LINCOLN 

At approximately 10:30 a.m. Tuesday morning first responders received a call that a house had collapsed at the corner of Tenth and Chestnut Streets in Lincoln. Upon arrival this is what they found.

The large older home was under construction and it is reported that the pile of dirt in the front yard is part of the ongoing work on the foundation of the house.

There were people inside but first responders quickly reported that everyone had escaped the building.

Lincoln Fire Chief Mark Miller said that there were four family members inside the home and two employees of the company that was working on the foundation that were trapped in the debris. All got out alive and with non-life threatening injuries. Several of the victims were transported to Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital for treatment of their injuries.
 

The larger issues the fire department had to deal with was broken gas lines in the house. Ameren was called and work was done to get the gas turned off in the area. Miller said the biggest challenge there was that the broken gas lines were under the debris of the fallen house.

By noon, the fire department cleared the scene with the exception of Chief Mark Miller who stayed on site for quite some time. By 12:30 p.m. Goodman Excavating was arriving on the scene to begin cleaning up the mess. The house was, obviously, a total loss.

Miller also reported that the home was unsafe for re-entry so the family lost all of their personal belongings. He said that the family does have relatives in the area to assist them, and that the American Red Cross had also responded.

At the Tuesday evening meeting of the Lincoln City Council, Chief Miller told the aldermen that in spite of the catastrophe, it was a good day because no lives were lost. Mayor Seth Goodman asked if anyone has said they are making efforts to collect items for the family. Miller said he was not aware of any efforts at this time.

[Nila Smith with photos by Smith & Roy Logan]