KEARNEY — Demolition has begun of the Kearney Taco Johns location that was heavily damaged by an October 2024 fire.
Most of the front of the building had been knocked down by an excavator as of noon on Monday, Jan. 13. The front sign still bearing blackened marks from the flames had been removed.
The building had been heavily damaged due to an accidental fire that was due to a spontaneous combustion event.
According to Adam Matzner, Chief Investigator with the Nebraska State Fire Marshal Agency, the cause of the fire in the restaurant was the spontaneous combination of oil grease rags.
On Oct. 9 at 1:49 a.m., the Buffalo County 911 Communications Center received a security alarm for the Taco Johns located at 419 East 25th St. and a Kearney Police Department officer was dispatched to check on the situation.
Upon arrival, the officer requested that the Kearney Volunteer Fire Department be dispatched due to smoke in the building.
According to the KVFD, upon arrival, firefighters found heavy smoke throughout the building and smoke pushing through the eves of the structure.
The KVFD crews continued to fight the fire from outside the structure, and the flames were brought under control by 5:16 a.m.
The fire gutted the interior of the structure and caused portions of the roof to collapse.
