4-alarm blaze destroys barn

By ALEXANDER SIMONE

Staff Writer

County fire departments responded to a four-department alarm fire Monday that destroyed a barn on US-77 between 30th and 40th Rds.

Eight trucks responded to the mutual-aid call, arriving from Florence, Burns, Peabody, and Marion, Burns chief Barry Black said. Also present were an ambulance from Peabody and a sheriff’s deputy.

The ambulance was not needed for assistance, but remained on standby for two hours as a precaution. The deputy remained at the scene to keep the area secure from passerby.

The incident started when a brush fire by landowner Lowell Larsen was left unchecked and spread to the barn.

Because of the proximity to the landowner’s home, the fire was contained at the barn for more than three hours using “overhaul” techniques, Black said.

Overhaul firefighting involves opening walls, ceilings, and other partitions to check for and control the spread of a fire.

The barn reportedly held some ammunition, but according to one veteran firefighter, bullets outside of gun barrels are not as problematic as they might seem.

Florence chief Mark Slater took command at the scene, but was unavailable for comment afterward because of an unrelated death.