ARCANUM — Heavy smoke filled the air Wednesday evening as a wind-fueled second alarm fire destroyed a barn leaving it levelled to the ground.
At approximately 7:33 p.m., emergency personnel from Arcanum Fire and Rescue responded along with mutual aid from the Pitsburg, Laura, New Madison, Versailles and the City of Greenville Fire Departments to the area of Dull and Albright Roads in reference to a fully involved barn fire.
According to Chief Kurt Troutwine of the Arcanum Fire Department, firefighters arrived at the scene only to find heavy smoke and flames coming from a large barn already burnt to the ground.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire protecting at least two other nearby buildings located within feet of the fallen building.
“The heavy winds fueled the fire and brought the barn down,” said Troutwine. “At the same time, it helped protect the other nearby barns by fanning the heat and flames away from them. We would have had multiple structures burning when we arrived had the winds not been blowing the direction they were.”
The exact nature and cause of the fire are unknown at this time. Troutwine has estimated the loss of the barn, as well as equipment stored within, to be in the neighbourhood of $75,000.
The fire will remain under investigation by the Arcanum Fire Department.
