George, Iowa — The George Fire Department had a busy weekend. It started when a tractor was destroyed in a fire on Saturday, April 20, 2019, near George.
According to George Fire Chief Bill Sprock, about 2:05 p.m., the George Fire Department was called to the report of a tractor on fire near 230th Street and Jefferson Avenue, a mile south and a mile west of George.
The chief says the fire department saw the tractor fully engulfed as they approached the scene, with the stalk chopper that it had been pulling also on fire, along with about 20 acres of cornstalks. He says they used water and foam to fight the fire. He says they received assistance from an area farmer with a disk, which he says was a good thing, as the fire was headed toward two hog buildings when it was stopped.
Sprock says no injuries were reported. He says the cause of the fire appeared to have been electrical in nature.
Chief Sprock reports that the tractor was totaled in the blaze, but the newer stalk chopper was salvageable. He estimated the damage to be at least ten to twenty thousand dollars-worth.
He says the fifteen firefighters who responded were on scene for about two hours.
Then on Sunday night, Sprock says about 9:35 PM, the George Fire Department was called to the report of bales on fire at 2672 Jefferson Avenue, four miles south, one west and another half-mile south of George.
The chief says the fire department saw burning cornstalk bales as they approached the scene. Sprock says that the old bales were being burned on purpose, but with the change in direction of the wind, the fire got out of hand. He says firefighters were able to limit the damage to only the cornstalk bales that were to be burned anyway.
The fire department was assisted by the Boyden Fire Department, who brought water to the scene.
Sprock reports that the 22 firefighters who responded were on scene for about three hours.
