(Corrects time frame of fire to Tuesday evening…not Monday)

Five area fire departments battled a fire involving hay bales Tuesday evening, southeast of Kirkman. According to Harlan Fire Chief Roger Bissen, Kirkman fire was dispatched to the scene near a dairy farm at around 5-p.m. Crews from Harlan, Westphalia, Irwin, Defiance and Kimballton provided mutual aid to help fight the blaze.

The fire was located inside a steel constructed, open hay barn full of hay bales. Approximately 400 – 1000 pound square bales were lost in the blaze.  Firefighters were able to save about half of the bales in the barn, and Bissen says the structure is still usable. The extra departments were on the scene for a little over four hours, Tuesday. The Kirkman Fire Department was also on the scene until 3-am today (Wednesday), putting out hot spots.