19 fire departments battle Thanksgiving Day barn fires near Morenci
SENECA TWP. — Crews from 19 fire departments spent most of Thanksgiving Day battling a fire that struck two barns that were full of straw just north of Morenci.
Morenci firefighters were first on the scene near the intersection of M-156 and Ridgeville Road at 5:54 a.m. Nov. 24, according to a post on the Morenci Fire Department's Facebook page. They found one 200-by-500-foot barn was fully on fire and another 200-by-500 barn had caught fire. There were about 6,000 bales of straw in each barn.
"We saved 3 pieces of farm machinery and a pickup before the second barn became fully involved, two other buildings on the property was saved," the post said.
Firefighters spent about 16 hours working to douse the fire in the straw. Morenci crews were assisted by firefighters from Addison, Adrian, Adrian Township, Cambridge Township, Clayton, Fairfield Township, Hudson, Madison Township and Raisin Township in Lenawee County; Archbold, Delta, Gorham-Fayette, Lyons-Royalton, Metamora and Wauseon in Fulton County, Ohio; Wright-Waldron in Hillsdale County; and Alvordton and Pioneer in Williams County, Ohio.
"We would like to thank all the departments that assisted us yesterday, and a special thank you for everyone that brought food and drinks out to the scene yesterday," the post said.
Twenty tankers used two drafting sites and Morenci's municipal water system to supply 1,396,100 gallons of water that was pumped through 2,200 feet of hose. One tower ladder, six master streams and multiple hand-held hoses were utilized, the post said.
The last crews left the scene at 9:49 p.m., the post said.
The Morenci Fire Department gave a "special thank you" to the Morenci Emergency Medical Services crew of Chad Corbin and Dennis McNett for their help upon arrival with stretching hose lines, being an extra set of eyes and running the pump on Engine 1.
"You both were a huge help all day long," the post said.
The fire department also thanked the city's department of public works crew, Eric Emmons and John Shaffer for providing support in town and shuttling fuel for the scene, city administrator Brad Moran for organizing food and drinks for the firefighters, and Tim Stutzman for the fuel truck at the drafting sites and fuel tankers.
The following provided excavators at the site to move the straw around: Micah Borton at T & R Total Lawn Care, State Line Farms, Trevor Hibbard, Chris McCallister and Austin Wagner.
Several people from the community came out and provided drinks, snacks and meals, the post said. "Everyone on the scene greatly appreciated the generosity."
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: 19 fire departments battle Thanksgiving Day barn fires near Morenci
