A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for central Lancaster County until 4:30 p.m., northern Pottawattamie County until 4:45 p.m. and Nemaha, northeastern Pawnee and northwestern Richardson counties until 5 p.m. A tornado watch is in effect until 10 p.m. Sunday for southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa, including Omaha, Council Bluffs and Lincoln.
Investigators have ruled out an explosion as the cause of a fatal fire that destroyed an old gas station in Smithland in western Iowa.
The owner, 76-year-old Robert Jones, was found dead outside the building on Wednesday. The results of an autopsy are pending.
John Ticer of the state fire marshal's office says officials are still investigating the fire, but they don't believe it was caused by an explosion. He says explosions people heard were likely aerosol cans popping from the heat. Ticer says there are no signs of foul play.
Smithland is about 40 miles southeast of Sioux City.
