Reward Offered For Information On Weekend Arson Fires

Person or persons unknown caused thousands of dollars in damage in four separate fires starting Friday and continuing into Saturday morning.
A $1,000 reward is being offered for information which will lead to the arrest and conviction of person or persons involved in these fires. Persons with information should contact the Antelope County Sheriff’s Department at (402) 887-4148.
Elgin firefighters were called out to four separate fires, all appearing to be suspicious in nature, according to Elgin Fire Chief Jim Kittelson. So suspicious that the Deputy State Fire Marshal was called in to investigate. And, the Antelope County Sheriff’s Department is working in support of the fire marshal’s investigation.
It all began early Friday morning, Sept. 30, According to Kittelson, firefighters were called out shortly before 8 a.m. Friday morning to the Kenny Meis residence northwest of Elgin as a John Deere tractor as well as a number of hay bales were on fire. The tractor was a total loss. The cause of the fire, he said, was undetermined.
A second fire call came in just after midnight Saturday. An International 1086 tractor, located just off 843 Road northwest of Elgin was reported on fire by Rick Miller. According to reports, the tractor had not been used for several months. By the time Elgin firefighters arrived at the scene, the tractor was deemed a total loss.
That’s two tractor fires in the span of less than 18 hours. Sound suspicious? There’s more to the story.
Shortly before 6 a.m. Saturday morning, Elgin firemen were called out to two separate fires. More than 30 hay bales belonging to Alan Welding, just west of where the two previous fires had been reported on 843 Road, were destroyed by fire. At the same time, a couple of miles south of the Welding fire, more than 30 forage bales belonging to Calvin Heithoff were on fire. Firefighters were out for over four hours putting down the two fires.