Mysterious fire almost destroys farmstead
Early in the evening of July 21, a grass fire was reported in the southwest corner of "the old Kroupa place" one-half mile north of 350th on Kanza Road, west of Ramona.
The Tampa Fire Department responded. High winds and hot temperatures allowed the fire to spread rapidly, and firefighters from Ramona, Durham, and Lincolnville were called to assist.
Before it was extinguished, the blaze destroyed several outbuildings and hay bales and reached as far as a silo and a shed attached to a barn.
According to Tampa fire chief Jesse Brunner, if the fire had engulfed the barn it easily could have spread to the vacant house.
Brunner said at least 17 fire trucks were involved.
"We put out a lot of water," he noted.
Because of the extreme conditions, some of the fire-fighters became overheated. An ambulance and a crew of at least six emergency medical technicians treated them. A registered nurse who lived nearby also was on hand.
The firefighters were cooled down and given bottled water and oxygen.
Brunner estimated that seven or eight cases of bottled water were consumed, kept cold in coolers of ice.
The blaze wasn't extinguished until about 10:30 p.m., when most firefighters were released to go home. Several remained and spent the night to watch for hot spots.
Brunner said the equipment his men got last year, especially the breathing apparatuses, came in handy and helped in battling the blaze.
The state fire marshal was called to the scene but the cause of the fire remained a mystery.
On Friday, Tampa firefighters again were called to the scene, where there was a flare-up of fire in a tree area.
The Marion County Sheriff's Department is investigating.
