LONGTON, KS – A rural Kansas home was a total loss after a fire broke out Sunday night, prompting a multi-department response.
Firefighters from Longton, Moline, and Howard responded to the blaze in Longton shortly before 10 p.m. Rural tankers and engines from the neighboring departments were called in to provide water support and assistance to the Longton Fire Department.
Upon arrival, crews encountered heavy flames engulfing the structure. An initial interior attack was attempted, but firefighters were forced to withdraw due to significant structural damage and transitioned to a defensive strategy.
The dwelling was completely destroyed in the fire. Authorities have reported no injuries.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Boil Water Advisory Issued for the City of Longton, Elk County
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a boil water advisory for the City of Longton public water supply system located in Elk County.
Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:
- Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water.
- Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.
- If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.
- Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.
- Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.
The advisory took effect on March 10 and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved. KDHE officials issued the advisory because of a loss of pressure due to firefighting. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.
Regardless of whether the public water supplier or Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announced a boil water advisory, only KDHE can issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.
For consumer questions, please contact the water system at 620-642-2225, or KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information please visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage: https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/468/Disruption-in-Water-Service
Restaurants and other food establishments that have questions about the impact of the boil water advisory on their business can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety & lodging program at kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767.
