Archer, Iowa — The Archer Fire Department responded to two calls at the same place on Friday, December 4, 2020, near Archer. One of them was a pasture fire and one was a structure fire.
According to Archer Assistant Fire Chief Brian Vollink, about 4:10 p.m., the first call came in — that of a pasture fire at 5441 380th Street, a mile south and a mile and a half east of Archer. He says the homeowner had been burning some grass and sticks and the fire got out of control and spread across a pasture and into a waterway. He says firefighters were able to put that fire out fairly quickly, and they headed back to town.
But, he says, about 6:25 p.m., the Archer Fire Department was called again to that address, this time to the report of a barn fire. He says a passerby called 911 and alerted the homeowner.
The chief says the fire department saw a corn crib fully engulfed as they approached the scene. He says they called for the Primghar and Sanborn firefighters to assist them, but after Primghar arrived, Vollink says the choice had been made to let the fire burn, as the building was going to be a total loss anyway, so he radioed that the Sanborn firefighters could head back to Sanborn.
Assistant Chief Vollink says no injuries were reported.
He says the cause of the fire is unknown as the grass fire from earlier seemed to be completely out. Vollink thinks maybe somehow they missed an ember that smoldered in the building and started the fire.
Vollink reports that the corn crib was totaled in the blaze. He says a manure spreader, a wagon, and some miscellaneous items were also lost in the fire.
He tells us the firefighters who responded were on the scene the second time for about four hours.
