A fire at a Scottsbluff, Neb., church earlier this month caused $450,000 damage because it burned for more than five hours before being discovered.
KNEB reports firefighters increased their damage estimate for the May 8 fire at Zion Evangelical Church in Scottsbluff.
Scottsbluff Fire Marshall Anthony Murphy says the extent of the damage became clear after revisiting the building and talking with insurance officials.
Authorities believe a lightning strike that caused a power outage in the neighborhood around 7:15 Saturday evening started the fire.
It wasn’t detected until early Sunday because the building didn’t have a fire alarm system.
Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Acrisure Goes After Former Owners of Businesses it Acquired for Leaving to Compete 
Ben & Jerry’s Co-Founder Says Brand Being ‘Destroyed’ by Magnum 
Miami Moves to Seize Part of Posh Island After Fuel Fight 
D&O Market Expected to Tighten Under Pressure, Says AM Best 
