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Fire
destroys hay barn at Michigan Valley
Wayne White
Managing Editor
MICHIGAN VALLEY—A fire Halloween evening destroyed a metal
building and its contents at Michigan Valley. As of Tuesday, officials
were still trying to determine the cause, with the investigation
hampered by smoldering hay bales inside the structure.
According to Osage County Sheriff Laurie Dunn, who is also currently
the county’s emergency preparedness director, a passerby reported
the fire to a local volunteer firefighter at about 10:44 p.m. Friday.
Despite efforts by fire departments from Overbrook, Carbondale,
Lyndon and Osage City, the structure and farm equipment and over
1,000 hay bales were destroyed in the blaze.
Dunn said the total value of the destroyed property was unknown,
but was considered a total loss.
“The building was still standing, but it’s totally ruined,”
Dunn said.
The location of the fire is 21155 S. Stubbs Road, known as Corwine
elevator or the Michigan Valley elevator. The J.D. Corwine family
owns the property, Dunn said.
Nearby grain storage structures and the old elevator at the site
were undamaged, the sheriff said.
No injuries were reported, but American Medical Response was on
standby while firefighters were at the scene. Firefighters were
assisted at the scene by Red Cross, which provided drinks.
While the last fire department left the scene around noon Saturday,
hay bales inside the structure continued to smolder.
“That hay is going to smolder for some time,” Dunn said.
The Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office and the sheriff’s
office are conducting an investigation into the cause of the fire.
Dunn said investigators are seeking witnesses to the fire, including
the person who reported the fire, who had not been identified.
“We’d like to talk to that person,” Dunn said.
She said firefighters had also been busy earlier in the evening
with a nearby grass fire.
The sheriff said anyone with information about the fire is asked
to call Crimestoppers at (877) OSCRIME or (877) 672-7463. |
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