Sheldon, Iowa — The Sheldon Fire Company has been busy over the past few days.
Fire Chief Brad Hindt tells us firefighters were called to 3342 Lily Avenue, southwest of Sheldon, a few minutes before 11:40 a.m. on Saturday for a telehandler on fire. The actual location was just east of 340th and Lily Ave in the field. He says firefighters found the telehandler completely engulfed and a smoldering manure pile. Firefighters attacked the telehandler with two hand lines and extinguished the fire. Hindt tells us the farmer was concerned that the manure pile could spread and start other fires with the northwest wind. He was trying to spread out the manure pile when, most likely, some dried corn stalks got caught up into the engine compartment and caught on fire. The telehandler was declared a total loss.
The farmer called for a contractor to bring in an excavator and spread the manure pile out. Once the pile was spread out, firefighters sprayed water on the pile.
Boer and Sons provided assistance.
Firefighters went back in service at about 2:30 p.m.
But, firefighters were called back to that location early on Monday because a passerby reported that the manure pile was on fire. That call came in about 4:10 a.m. They advised the farmer that he needs to spread out the pile and disk it into the soil.
Later that day, about 9:45 a.m., they were called to a location just two miles north of the previous two calls. This one was at 320th and Lily Avenue, and corn stalk bales were reported to be on fire. When the firefighters got there, there were two piles of bales on fire, one with about 10 bales and one with about 14 bales.
Because a grove was being cleared out nearby, an excavator was available and the operator broke the bales apart and spread them out while firefighters knocked down the flames, says Hindt. Then a farmer with a tractor and disk disked them into the soil. He says a second contingent of firefighters attacked the smaller pile of bales until the excavator was available, and then the same procedure was repeated for that pile.
Hindt says the cause of the fire was stray embers from a burn pit.
He says ID excavating and the property owner assisted, and firefighters went back in service at 11:30 a.m.
Hindt says firefighters also assisted with a truck rollover on Highway 60 on Friday night, and on Saturday night, firefighters and their spouses had the honor of helping serve the meal and bus tables at what he calls “an awesome event for A Night for the Honor Flight,” a benefit for Midwest Honor Flight. Hindt says it was a great night.
KIWA Staff Photo
