Paullina, Iowa – It’s not the normal use for liquid manure, but the fertilizer ended up being one of the heros in a fire call on Sunday, October 4, 2015 near Paullina.
According to Paullina Fire Chief Brian Feltman, about 3 PM, the Paullina Fire Department was called to the report of a tractor on fire three miles west and two and a half miles north of Paullina in the middle of a field.
The chief says the fire department saw that the fire was nearly put out as they approached the scene. He says the tractor’s operator had been knifing in liquid manure using an umbilical cord back to a manure pump at the manure pit. He says the fire appeared have started when a hot exhaust pipe ignited bean dust. He says when the operator noticed the fire he disconnected the liquid manure hose and used the flow of liquid manure to put out the fire. Feltman says that it did a pretty good job and by the time they got out there, they just had to take some shields off and blow water in there to make sure the fire was out.
Chief Feltman reports that there were no injuries to people, pets, or livestock.
He reports that the back of motor and the cab of the tractor were pretty much destroyed.
He says they used 150 gallons of water to fight the fire, and crews were on scene for 45 minutes.
