Three departments respond to field fire

Posted 10/8/21

Approximately 70 acres of standing and cut corn and three acres of beans were destroyed by fire on Sept. 28. The blaze was on property owned by Prouhet Investments farmed by Dave Hollenberg.

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Three departments respond to field fire

Posted

Approximately 70 acres of standing and cut corn and three acres of beans were destroyed by fire on Sept. 28. The blaze was on property owned by Prouhet Investments farmed by Dave Hollenberg.

Investigators believe a mechanical problem on the combine in use sparked the fire. Dry conditions and wind gusts helped the flames spread.

The fire started shortly before 3 p.m. By the time crews from Little Dixie Fire District arrived on the scene along Audrain Road 929, some 45 acres had been scorched and the fire was moving rapidly to the north and east.

According to Little Dixie chief Bill Albus, two brush trucks, a tanker and seven firefighters were first on the scene. Albus immediately paged for all available personnel.

Crews from Boone County Fire and the Paris Fire Department sent crews. Eventually nine trucks and two gators were on site.

The Audrain County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri Highway Patrol deployed officers to help with traffic when smoke from the fire drifted across Highway E, making visibility difficult.

By 5:30 p.m. firefighters had extinguished the blaze and secured the area.


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