Lincoln couple picking up the pieces after lumberyard fire spreads to home

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A north Lincoln couple is looking to repair their home after it was damaged in a massive fire Tuesday night.

Flames tore through their home near 23rd and Y street while they were sleeping, forcing Arden Messersmith and Susan Kubicka to leave the house immediately.

“Somebody came banging on the side of the house, saying it’s on fire,” Arden Messersmith said.

The fire started at the Lincoln Lumber Company, according to Lincoln Fire & Rescue, then spread to their home.

“He grabbed me, and we ran outside,” Kubicka said. “We had no shoes on. We had jackets on, luckily.”

They said they had no time to grab much of their belongings.

Garret Messersmith, the son of the homeowner, said he drove over as soon as he heard the news and saw the towering flames.

“I ended up running back in to grab them something to put on their feet, grabbing another jacket for them,” he said.

Firefighters arrived quickly and got the flames under control.

LFR estimated the home had $50,000 worth of damage; the residents think it’s total loss.

“We got a lot of pieces to pick up from this morning,” Garret Messersmith said.

Authorities think the fire started in a vacant shed at the lumberyard. LFR estimated the damage lumberyard’s damage at $40,000.

The cause remains under investigation.

LFR said a recreational vehicle and several other vehicles were also destroyed in the fire. Other buildings and vehicles had heat damage.

Lincoln Lumber Company declined an on-camera interview but said it wanted to set the record straight.

It said it experienced little loss, not know how the fire started and is still open and fully functioning.

As Messersmith and Kubicka come to terms with what’s next, support has been pouring in from friends.

The couple said there’s only one thing now they need from the community.

“Love,” Messersmith said. “Love and family and happiness. And we’re glad our family is here.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up for the couple.

They said they’re happy no one is hurt, and they thank all the first responders.