YATES CENTER – On March 14, fires swept across acres of land near Yates Center. While there were no injuries or casualties, the fire destroyed the Yates Center Health and Rehab facility.
Community leaders gathered at the Yates Center Volunteer Fire Department on Tuesday afternoon to clarify key points about the fire, and answer questions from the public and the press. The press conference was led by Johnny Atkin IV, director of Woodson County Emergency Management.
“We are still early in this event,” Atkin said. “There is a lot of stuff that we do not know yet, so be patient with us.”
Atkin described the fire as fast-moving and devastating. The fire saga began at 2:05 p.m. on Friday afternoon when a fire was reported in the vicinity of Deer Road and 200th Road in northern Woodson County, according to Atkin. Just over an hour later, Atkin said he had requested state-level mutual aid, a disaster declaration was made in Woodson County, the local emergency operations plan was initiated and the regional Federal Emergency Management Agency was contacted.
At 3:23 p.m., Atkin said staff of Yates Center Health and Rehab nursing facility reported a grass fire was approaching from South Owl Lake.
“Within minutes, emergency responders came into action,” Atkin said.
At 3:24 p.m. the Yates Center Fire Department was paged, and at 3:25 p.m. the first firefighters arrived on scene. Mission Health staff then executed their emergency evacuation plan. Transportation of evacuees was provided by USD 366, At-
See FIRE, Page 6.
kin said.
“By 3:37, within 12 minutes, all 28 residents had been evacuated from the nursing home, and the staff were safely moving them to Yates Center High School,” Atkin said. “A temporary shelter had been established by nursing home staff, EMS crews and local volunteers.”
According to Mission Health Vice President of Operations Nikki Jacobs, a few residents were transported to area hospitals to be examined after evacuation. However, no staff or residents were harmed during the fire.
The fire reached the facility at 3:44 p.m., igniting the south wall, according to Atkin.
“Fire crews initially attempted an interior, offensive fire attack,” Atkin said. “But the intensity and rapid spread of the fire through the building forced them to adopt a defensive strategy on the exterior of the building.”
This fire also caused other fires, which Atkin said were controlled by strategic backfires and fire breaks.
“While emergency responders battled the fire, community members mobilized support,” Atkin said. “A volunteer team led by mainly the spouses of Yates Center firefighters set up a rehabilitation center for first responders in the Woodson County Community Building.”
For many hours, crews continued to contain fires and protect Yates Center. That evening, the nursing home roof collapsed, and Mission health staff began transporting residents to nearby sister facilities. Jacobs said that during this time, staff are also working at these facilities, which she said mutually benefits staff and residents, who get to see familiar faces.
“The loss of the Yates Center Health and Rehab nursing facility is a devastation to our community. But we are also incredibly fortunate that no lives were lost,” Atkin said. “The rapid and skilled response of the Mission Health team, our first responders, mutual aid partners and countless volunteers ensured that what could have been a much larger tragedy was contained and controlled.”
However, Jacobs said that Mission Health intends to rebuild in Yates Center.
“We just don’t know what that looks like yet,” Jacobs said. Atkin said the fire tested the community in ways he had not previously thought were possible.
“It took a place that so many in our community called home, and it could have taken so much more,” Atkin said. “But because of the unwavering courage of our first responders, the dedication of our mutual aid partners, and the incredible support of this community, we are standing here today, having prevented an even greater tragedy.”
During the events of the fire, dispatch Lt. Annette Benteman said there were four dispatchers working throughout the day on March 14 to take calls. Benteman said that the department typically manages 15 to 16 calls in a week, with one to two people working at a given time, but took nearly 150 calls related to Friday’s fires and evacuation.
The origin and cause of the South Owl fire is still unknown, according to Atkin. The fire is still under investigation by the Kansas Fire Marshal’s Office. Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal Rich Watson said the investigation would be lengthy.
“Given the extensiveness of this fire, ... it’s going to take us another couple of weeks to get all of our facts together,” Watson said. “At least three weeks, we don’t like to push it further than we have to. We want to make sure it’s right.”
Yates Center Mayor Justin Weston extended gratitude to the community and first responders.
“You saved us,” Weston said. “You put your lives on the line, and we will forever be in your debt.”
Weston said after the press conference that this is all that is currently known. As information is learned about the fire, those updates will be made public.
“We are a wonderful community with a lot of spirit,” Atkin said. “We’re not going to let this knock us down.”
