The home of Gerald and Sue Rinne of rural Nebraska City sustained severe smoke and heat damage early Monday morning when an electrical fire broke out in the basement. As foster care providers, the Rinnes have opened their home and playground equipment outside to over 170 children over the past 27 years.

A foster home in rural Nebraska City sustained severe smoke and heat damage early Monday morning, but no one was harmed.

Firefighters were called to the home of Gerald and Sue Rinne near G and 56th roads at 12:49 a.m. on a report of smoke in the house where nine children were staying.

Rinne said the oldest boy was in the basement, but the rest of the children were upstairs watching television when they smelled burning plastic.

Rinne’s daughter, Delana Whipple, said their first thought was to call her husband, Scott, who is a Nebraska City firefighter, to have the smell checked out. Then the smoke detectors started going off, so Rinne evacuated the house and called 911.

From outside, she said, they watched as the lights went out in each section of the house at a time.

Nebraska City Fire Chief Alan Viox said it appears the fire started in a basement utility room above the electrical circuit box . “It was electrical in nature,” he said. “As the fire melted the wires coming out of the circuit box, they fused together and grounded out.

“I’ve never seen that before, but the fire was right above the electrical panel,” he said.

Four units and 24 firefighters were joined by Dunbar firefighters at the scene. Steam conversion was used to suppress the fire and then an interior crew entered the basement to put the fire out.

Mrs. Rinne has been a foster care provider for 27 years and has raised her own children in the house. It’s estimated that the house has sheltered over 170 children.

“Many, many kids have went through this house and there will be many more because I’m not quitting,” Rinne said.