LIBERTY, Neb. (AP) — A southern Nebraska man whose house and garage were extensively burned says his cellphone call to 911 had gone to a neighboring county in Kansas, delaying the dispatch of firefighters to his property.

Art Hughes told the Beatrice Daily Sun (http://bit.ly/p5KDC1) that because of the communications problem, it took firefighters an estimated 40 minutes to arrive after the fire began Tuesday evening at his property north-northeast of Liberty.

He says the fire began when his welding work touched off flames in a nearby rag.

No injuries were reported.

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Information from: Beatrice Sun, http://www.beatricedailysun.com

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.