Christmas Day fire destroys North Bend home

The Sellentin family lost their rural North Bend home to a fire on Christmas.

Now an account has been established to assist Russ and Rhonda Sellentin and their children.

Those who wish to donate may send contributions to: Fremont National Bank, 152 E. Sixth St., Fremont; phone 721-1050.

The Sellentins have twin daughters, Amber and Tiffany, 19, who attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Brett, 17, a junior at North Bend Central High School.

The couple also are still receiving mail at their home.

A wood burning heater is being blamed for the cause of the fire, which took six fire departments almost eight hours to completely extinguish.

North Bend Fire Chief Kevin Dubbs, in his written report, said firefighters were called at 11:57 a.m. to the home at 1484 County Road 11 Blvd.

Smoke and flames were visible as firefighters arrived. Fire traveled through the attic of the home. The roof and floor collapsed on the east side of the home.

At times, there were about 30 firefighters on the scene. Assisting North Bend with the blaze was Fremont Rural, Scribner, Cedar Bluffs, Snyder and Nickerson.

While the fire was under control by 1:30 p.m., firefighters were on the scene for nearly eight hours battling spot fires.

One firefighter suffered a possible ankle fracture, Dubbs wrote. That firefighter was taken to Fremont Area Medical Center.

The estimated loss of the house and contents was $250,000.