Early Morning Fire Southwest Of Neligh Totals Semi

A semi was destroyed in a fire Friday morning southwest of Neligh.

The Neligh Volunteer Fire Department was called out to a vehicle fire at 5:50 a.m. Friday morning and arrived on scene to a semi on fire about six miles west of Sargent Irrigation on 848th Road. 

Fire Chief Mike Mortensen said the 1999 Kenworth is owned by Knievel Trucking and was on Gerald and Jennifer Knievel's property at the time of the incident.

Driver Kolton Knievel had just returned with the truck about an hour before it caught fire.

"He had just parked the truck," Mortensen said. "Thank God he didn't lay in the truck and go to sleep."

Kolton Knievel said it was devastating to see his truck in flames this morning.

"It was a very sad moment because that truck has been in our family for a very long time, so it was devastating," he said. "Trucks can be replaced. I'm just thankful I didn't decide to sleep in it."

Mortensen said the fire department was on scene for 15 minutes. Four units and 15 firefighters responded.

This was the third vehicle on fire call the Neligh Fire Department has responded to in the last nine days, although one was simply a vehicle overheating. This is the second semi on fire call during that time that resulted in a total loss. 

"It's kind of odd to have that many vehicle calls. They usually they come in threes, so hopefully this is it," Mortensen said.

Mortensen said the cause of the fire is undetermined at this time.