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Northeast/North Central Nebraska’s most trusted, comprehensive, and timely news source

A rural residence west of McCool Junction was destroyed by fire Saturday, leading to a total loss of the home as well as all the belongings of the family who lived there.

A rural residence west of McCool Junction was destroyed by fire Saturday, leading to a total loss of the home as well as all the belongings of the family who lived there.

A rural residence west of McCool Junction was destroyed by fire Saturday, leading to a total loss of the home as well as all the belongings of the family who lived there.

A family of eight lost all of its belongings in a rural house fire west of McCool Junction on Saturday morning.

“Thankfully I woke up from all the popping and sounds coming from the garage, where the fire started,” said Chris Wize, who rented the rural home. “If I wouldn’t have woken up right then, I don’t know what would have happened.”

Wize said he got out of bed and saw the garage was on fire. He and his wife, Katie — along with their infant daughter — were able to exit the house.

“By the time we got out of the house, the fire was in the kitchen,” Wize said.

No one was injured, but all the family's belongings were lost. Firefighters remained on the scene for hours.

The Wizes have six children, but only an infant girl was home with the couple at the time of the fire.

“The other kids were staying elsewhere. I can’t imagine what it would have been like getting all the kids out of the house with the fire spreading that fast.”

The Wize family includes a 15-year-old boy, an 11-year-old boy and girl, a 9-year-old boy, a 6-year-old girl and an infant girl. Donations are being sought regarding clothes for the kids – which can be taken to 1733 N. Nebraska Ave. in York.

Wize, who is the wastewater director for York, said they are staying in a hotel in York and “just trying to figure out where we go from here. We lost everything but we are all OK, which is what matters.”

He said a fire investigator told him the fire likely started because of a power strip malfunction in the garage.

“Structural-wise and damage-wise, there’s no going back,” Wize said. “But again, we are OK and we will figure out where we go from here.”

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A rural residence west of McCool Junction was destroyed by fire Saturday, leading to a total loss of the home as well as all the belongings of the family who lived there.

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Nebraska State Patrol Trooper Ravi Singh demonstrates a drone during a news conference on Thursday at Nebraska State Patrol headquarters.

Charity Reeves is shown Friday in her kitchen in Nebraska City. Reeves said her brain fog persists after recovering from the initial symptoms of COVID-19, and she has to rely on note cards to remind her of daily tasks such as turning off the stove.

Ashley Peterson, a special-education teacher at Lincoln Northwest who suffers from prosopagnosia, also known as facial blindness, was recently featured in a National Geographic story talking about the condition. 

Andie Trimble (left) and Nicole Polivka wear paint-stained dresses while protesting the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade during an abortion rights rally held in front of the Nebraska State Capitol on Monday.

Dominic Silva (left) lifts up Dertha Williams with help as he pushes her on a tire swing during Lincoln's annual Uncle Sam Jam at Oak Lake Park on Sunday.

Women display signs to passing cars during an abortion rights rally held in front of the Nebraska State Capitol on Monday.

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Cathy Smith (from left), Rick Boucher and Shelly Horton ride horses in Pioneers Park on Monday. The city has approved restoring 1.9 miles of horse trails in the park.

Carpet Land's Owen Laessig's hat flies off his head as he throws to first base to retire a JC Brager batter on June 29, 2022, at Den Hartog Field.

Customers carry out fireworks from Black Dragon Fireworks in Hickman on Friday.

Dana Davenport, Josie Kinsinger and Dee Bronson (from left) set up a phone so they can film a reel for Instagram at Aria Rose Bath Co. on Thursday. 

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Lincoln High's Beni Ngoyi (center) and others, including Adonis Hutchinson (first from right), gather for a photo after Ngoyi announced his commitment to Iowa State on Wednesday at Lincoln High School.

Adam Helmerichs, owner of Diamond Concrete Cutting, organizes tiles removed from the Pershing Center mural Wednesday.

A young Husker fan takes a photo of Memorial Stadium during Nebraska Football Fan Day on Tuesday.

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As temperatures in Lincoln soared toward the upper 90s on Tuesday, families took advantage of the spray ground at Trago Park. Temperatures are expected to stay in the 90s for the next week and possibly top 100 on Friday and Saturday.

Originally published on yorknewstimes.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange.