11/12/2011 – Hay Bale Fire – “A” Shift

Incident # 11-06043 – Fireworks were the culprit of an accidental fire that destroyed 80 large hay bales and damaged a 60 x 200 open air steel storage building with an attached barn. The incident occurred Saturday evening, 12-November at 21:07. The initial 9-1-1 call reported a hay bale on fire at 2557 Drain Road north of the Town of Smoaks. Engine 26 arrived to find multiple stacked bales of hay burning under the building with heavy smoke showing. A structural response was requested and assigned to the incident. Engine 26 deployed two 2-1/2 handlines and began combating the fire which was rapidly spreading through the stored hay. Approximately 15 minutes later, additional Tenders were requested for water supply. The farm owner assisted, using a small front end loader and backhoe to move the burning bales away from the structure and unburned bales. The tractor had to be extinguished several times due to burning embers and smoldering hay on the tractor. Crews used the handlines to extinguish the bales as they were broken apart and disbursed on the ground. Fire units were on the scene for nearly four hours.

Engine 17, Engine 18, Engine 26, Tender 5, Tender 7, Tender 17, Tender 18, Tender 19, Tender 26, Tender 27, Battalion 1, Medic 18 and Medic 26 responded. Firefighter-Paramedic Robert Gregory initially served as Incident Command, which was later turned over to Battalion Chief Brent Dalton.