BUCYRUS―Several fire departments battled a barn fire after a passerby spotted smoke and called the blaze into the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office.
Bucyrus resident Kurt Fankhauser, a retired volunteer firefighter in Crawford County, saw smoke coming from a barn as he was driving by the residence, located at 4234 Ohio 4, north of Bucyrus.
“I wasn’t sure if it was smoke or snow blowing at first so I stopped then saw flames. I called the Sheriff’s Office immediately,” said Fankhauser.
Holmes Township was the lead fire department at the scene and was assisted by Chatfield, Bucyrus, Liberty, Wyandot East, Lykens and Dallas Township Volunteer Fire Departments. Portsmouth Ambulance was also called to the scene and one firefighter was checked for injuries.
The Crawford County Sheriff’s Office also assisted at the scene and workers from ODOT (Ohio Department of Transportation) worked diligently to apply salt to the roadway for fire trucks and other rescue workers.
According to Holmes Township Fire Chief John Schiefer, the fire was contained to a 40 by 60-foot pole barn on the property.
“The fire never reached the house,” said Schiefer.
Schiefer said he believes the barn was used to store equipment and that no animals were involved.
An estimate of damage to the property and the cause of the fire have not yet been determined.
Ohio 4 North was closed to thru traffic and traffic was re-routed to Ohio 19.