North Bend residents watch as fire destroys part of downtown

They stood in silence as they lined North Bend’s Main Street, as if in mourning.

Business owners, family, friends and neighbors watched as a portion of their downtown was consumed by fire Monday, leaving behind shells of buildings where five businesses once stood.

Fire all but destroyed Emanuel Custom Welding, Beyond Body Work Massage Therapy, A Little Off the Top Hair and Nail Salon, The North Bend Eagle and The Pour House, which included an apartment above the bar.

Fire crews from at least 14 departments from throughout the area battled the blaze in the 700 block of Main Street throughout Monday afternoon and into the evening. At its height, four aerial trucks -- from Cedar Bluffs, Fremont, Schuyler and Snyder -- hit the flames from all sides.

The Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s Office said an electrical short in the beauty salon caused the fire.

Among those watching was Adam Nelson of Cincinnati, who made the initial call to 911 between 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m.

Nelson, a Schuyler native, and his girlfriend were visiting the area as a Christmas present. She was in Beyond Body Work to get a massage when customers there smelled smoke.

“I ran out to make a phone call and saw a little bit of smoke (coming from A Little Off the Top, located just one door to the north),” Nelson said. “I called 911 and then got people out.”

Allison Hanson, Brett Juhl and Taylor Boruch, all students at North Bend Central High School, were in Beyond Body Work, getting ready for a tanning session.

“We thought we smelled something,” Hanson said. “We thought it was a truck, then a guy came in and said the building next door was on fire.”

Road crews were removing snow from the street at the time, so those in the businesses along Main Street thought the smell could have been diesel fumes.

Nathan Arneal, owner of North Bend’s weekly newspaper, The Eagle, was busy putting together the latest edition. He also smelled the smoke.

As firefighters from North Bend began arriving on the scene, Arneal pulled computers and whatever other equipment he could from his office.

Down the street at Emanuel Custom Welding, owners and employees were doing the same thing. Diane Emanuel was able to get her computer and others were moving whatever equipment was possible even as Schuyler and Fremont Rural firefighters joined the battle.

As the fire grew, Arneal and Emanuel were joined on Main Street by dozens of others. Some stood quietly outside, others filed into businesses such as Gambino’s Pizza and North Bend Auto Supply to watch.

Greg Kugler was among those watching. He lived in an apartment above the Pour House. An antique collector, his apartment was filled with the items.

“It was pretty much all that was up there,” he said.

“I’ve never seen a fire like this,” he added.

Kugler had lived above the Pour House for about five years and he said he enjoyed living there.

He said the bar had been remodeled in the past year, a Christmas gift to owners Jake and Cindy Limbach from their children.

Offers for help poured in to Kugler, Arneal and others.

Kugler said at least 30 people had asked if he needed a place to stay. Arneal mentioned he had received a couple of offers of office space.

Residents and business owners put together a buffet of sandwiches, soup, pizza, snacks and beverages -- coffee, water and hot chocolate. The Red Cross and Salvation Army also were on hand to help keep up the energy of the firefighters.

Members of the State Fire Marshal’s Office were on the scene.

They, like all the others, were only able to stand in silence and watch as a piece of North Bend’s history burned.