The Liberal Fire Department responded to a commercial fire Monday morning, February 8, 2016, at 342 S Country Estates Road.  The fire was reported at 4:05 a.m.

Initially, the Liberal Police Department received a call to respond to Liberal Kenworth for a burglar alarm.  Upon first arrival of officers, they reported heavy smoke from the bay doors of the building.  The Liberal Fire Department arrived and made an immediate offensive attack on the fire.  The fire was confined to the shop area of the business and Fire Chief Kelly Kirk declared the fire under control at approximately 4:55 a.m.  No civilian or firefighter injuries are reported for this incident.  However, the fire did result in major heat, smoke, and water damage to the shop area as well as extensive damage to several trucks.  There is also major smoke and water damage to the office and sales area of the building.  Investigatorsremained on scene until 6:30 p.m. conducting an on-scene investigation in cooperation with the State Fire Marshal’s Office and Liberal Police Department. Fire investigators returned to the scene this morning to continue with the investigation.  The Liberal Fire Department responded to the incident with 17 firefighters, two engines, one aerial platform truck, and two light support vehicles.  The Seward County Sheriff’s Departmentand Seward County EMS responded to the incident as well.

Early estimates place the loss in this fire to be in excess of one million dollars.  The cause of the fire has been determined to be accidental in nature due to electrical failure involving one of the trucks in the shop.