By Canadian Press

Patrol: 4 found dead in 2 burning homes in Nebraska city

Aug 4, 2022 | 2:16 PM

LAUREL, Neb. (AP) — Four people were found dead Thursday in two burning homes in a small community in northeastern Nebraska, authorities said.

Nebraska State Patrol Col. John Bolduc said at a news conference that a man was seen driving away from the city of Laurel before the bodies were discovered and that investigators would like to speak to him.

Firefighters responding to a call Thursday morning about an explosion and fire at one of the homes found the body of a person inside, Bolduc said.

A short time later, firefighters were called to a second burning home, where the bodies of three people were found inside.

Authorities didn’t release the names of the dead or say how they died, but they said witnesses reported seeing a man leaving Laurel in a silver car.

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Laurel is home to fewer than 1,000 people and is located about 100 miles (161 kilometers) northwest of Omaha.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

LAUREL, Neb. (AP) — An unknown number of people were found dead Thursday in two homes in a small community in northeastern Nebraska, and schools and most businesses went on lockdown as a precaution at the recommendation of police, officials said.

Cody Thomas, a spokesman for the Nebraska State Patrol, said he didn’t know how many people were found dead or how anyone died, but that fire “was involved” at both houses. He said state investigators were headed to Laurel and would likely take the lead in investigating what happened.

Most businesses, a senior center and schools voluntarily went on lockdown at the recommendation of police, said Lori Hansen, a clerical assistant at the Laurel City Hall. She said she had no other information about what was happening at the police scenes.

“We’ve been listening to TV to try to find out what’s going on,” she said.

A woman who answered the phone at the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office said she had no information about the deaths and that she was the only person in the office.

Laurel is home to fewer than 1,000 people and is located about 100 miles (161 kilometers) northwest of Omaha.

The patrol plans to hold a news conference later Thursday to discuss its findings.

The Associated Press