Fire Claims Brier Creek Garage Building

Nearby Fuel Tanks Presented Additional Danger

Firefighters work to contain a garage fire on Brier Creek Rd.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Three different fire departments responded to a garage fire on Brier Creek Road around 8:30am today at the residence of Mr. Tommy Brooks, owner of a local excavation company.

Mr. Brooks said he and a few other men were working on a Caterpillar D6 bulldozer that was pulled just outside the building when he looked up and saw the far end of the structure engulfed in flames. 

The wooden structure was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived.

Mr. Brooks said he had no idea how the fire started or what could've started it; however, there was plenty of fuel to keep the fire going besides the wooden structure itself, including stacked firewood.

An even greater hazard was present due to large fuel tanks on the far end of the structure containing diesel and oil. In addition to trying to extinguish the blaze, firefighters also had to keep the tanks cool.

Lincoln Fire Chief Steve Sanders said there's little that can be done in situations like this.

"Unless we can respond pretty much immediately, structures like this just go up too fast," he said. "You just do your best to contain fires like these."

One firefighter works on the structure while others try to keep fuel tanks cool.

A firefighter works on one end of a garage fire on Brier Creek Rd.

Extreme heat reached the dozer and shattered it's rear glass but Mr. Brooks said he thought it would be ok. The same couldn't be said for the building and its contents, which he said contained thousands of dollars of tools and equipment. Many were antique hand tools that were highly collectible. The building was a complete loss.

The Lincoln, Kyrock, and Brownsville Fire Departments responded to the scene along with Warren Rural Electric Corp. There were no injuries reported.