Fire Department To Burn 'Eyesore' On 3rd Street Sunday

Area firefighters will eliminate another eyesore this week, and residents should expect a section of one of Neligh’s busiest side streets to be closed on Sunday. 

The home at 307 E. 3rd Street will be used for interior attack and ventilation training on Sunday, according to Mike Mortensen, Neligh Fire Chief. The controlled burn is expected to start at 7 a.m. and finish by noon.

Fire department officials said to expect street closures from 3rd Street, between K & J Street, and J Street, between 2nd and 3rd Street. 

Jim and Janee (Jacobsen) Ahlers own the home and said they had hoped to have the burn a year ago. But because there have been so many controlled burns and because they split time in Fort Collins, the burn had to wait until now. 

Jim Ahlers, who is originally from Clearwater, said they inherited the home from Janee’s mother about six years ago. They’ve lived in Fort Collins the last 40 years and are now retired, spending about a third of their time in Neligh.

“We were here for the big burn with Helmer’s and the locker and for Harold Klein’s, too,” he said. “I’m glad there’s been more burns. There are some eyesores, and this happens to be one of them.”

Ahlers said he is hoping to develop the property at some point.

“We’re not here a lot, but surprisingly when we are, there has been a lot of interest in the house,” Ahlers said. “I think it’s an easy lot to have something done on.” 

---