United Group Insurance

Stubborn Silo fire reported near Harlan

News

November 11th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Firefighters in Harlan responded to a silo fire south of Harlan, twice Saturday, the third time in two days they had been called to the same location. According to Harlan Fire Chief Roger Bissen, the first call about a silo fire at 1610 Maple Street, came around 9:30-am, Friday. Bissen said at the time, it was a lost cause. “There wasn’t anything we could do about it because we had silage burning on the inside of the silo and I couldn’t send anyone in because it was too dangerous. It was contained at the time. We determined the silo structure was deteriorating and needed to come down with an excavator.”

Firefighters doused the flames but were called back at around 3-a.m. Saturday. Chief Bissen said “We had some embers that left the silo and caught a hog house on fire. We had to go extinguish that. That shed was burnt to the ground.”

The Department returned around mid-morning on Saturday to assist as an excavator was brought to the farm and tore the silo down. No injuries were reported and no dollar amount was given.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

 

Assisting the H-FD were firefighters from Elk Horn, Kimballton, Walnut, Avoca and Shelby. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.