BEATRICE – Fire destroyed a camper and damaged homes adjacent to it in a southeast Nebraska community, late Sunday night.

Beatrice Firefighters were dispatched to the area of Fourth and High Streets, north of the Beatrice Middle School, just before 10 p.m.  Firefighters arriving on Fourth Street observed a camper ablaze and homes south and north of the unit also starting to catch fire. 

A Nebraska Fire Marshal Investigator was summoned to investigate and determined that the use of fireworks was the likely cause of the fire. Officials called for Red Cross assistance for up to four adults and two children, and city inspection officials were also called to the scene.

One person, a male juvenile was taken to Beatrice Community Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation.  A Beatrice Fire Captain said a dog and two cats died inside the home immediately north of the camper.

A pumper truck and ambulance unit were sent to the scene…and a ladder truck was later sent but did not have to be used in fighting the fire.

Firefighters had the blaze knocked down at around 10:17 p.m., but were on the scene for a much longer time, applying water to both homes.  Some flames were observed coming from the roof of one of the adjacent homes and in an attic area. 

The camper was a pull-type unit attached to a pickup, that had been backed into a space between the two houses.  

Fire units unhooked from a fire hydrant at Fourth and High and left the scene at around 2:15, Monday morning.