Two Rivers concession stand destroyed by fire

Firefighters from Waterloo, Valley, Yutan and Omaha responded to the scene at 27717 F St. The fire was called in about 5:15 a.m. and took about 45 minutes to get under control, according to Travis Harlow, chief of the Waterloo Volunteer Fire Department.

“The cause of the fire is under investigation by the state fire marshal, but it didn’t appear to be suspicious,” Harlow said. “The building is a total loss.”

According to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, the 1,800-square-foot concession stand opened in 2017. It provided “snacks, short-order food, bait and other items.”

The one-story building was engulfed by flames when firefighters arrived, Harlow said. Firefighters were able to determine that no one was inside the building and began a defensive attack due to portions of the roof collapsing.

“In the past, there have been times that a worker might sleep overnight on a couch in the building, but we were able to make sure that no one was inside,” Harlow said. “Thankfully, there were no injuries.”

The fire appears to have started on the back side of the building before moving inside, Harlow said. He estimated damage to the building and its contents at $200,000.

The 622-acre Two Rivers State Recreation Area includes 320 acres of water in several sandpit lakes. There are seven camping areas with 209 padded sites.