Fire destroys Bascom barn

PHOTO BY JILL GOSCHE Firefighters work at the scene of a barn fire at 1043 N. SR 635 early Tuesday morning. BASCOM — Fire destroyed a barn containing farm machinery early Tuesday morning. Firefighters from four departments — Bascom Joint Fire District, Kansas Volunteer Fire Department, NBS Joint Fire District and Washington Township Fire Department — responded to the fire at 1043 N. SR 635. The property is owned by Laneta Wertz, according to the Seneca County Auditor's Office website. Chris Daniel, assistant chief of Bascom Joint Fire District, said the cause was ruled undetermined by State Fire Marshal's Office. There was no electricity to the barn, he said. The fire was reported about 3:50 a.m. by neighbors. A Bascom firefighter who drove by the burning barn on his way to the fire station could feel the heat from the fire through his closed truck window. Daniel said the entire 13,000-square-foot barn was burning when Bascom fire crews arrived. Firefighters contained the fire to the barn, he said. "Basically, it was destroyed when we pulled on scene," said Garry Ruble, Bascom Joint Fire District's training officer. The fire was under control in about 45 minutes and was extinguished about two hours after it was reported. Firefighters drew water from a pond near SR 635 and SR 18. Three combines, grain equipment, mowers, wagons, a tractor, a manure spreader and a pickup truck were in the barn. According to the owner, the value of the contents was about $50,000, Ruble said. No one was hurt, Daniel said. Personnel from amateur radio, Bascom EMS, the county's Echo unit and Seneca Community Chaplain Corps assisted at the scene. Bascom Carry Out dropped off a cooler of water and Gatorade for firefighters. An electric line that connected to the house burned, and an American Electric Power crew responded to the scene. SR 635 was blocked between SR 18 and TR 132 as crews fought the fire. It reopened about 7 a.m. Seneca County Sheriff's Office, State Highway Patrol and Ohio Department of Transportation assisted with the road closure.