October 18, 1989

Fire destroys barn in county

       A White River Township fireman suffered a minor back injury while battling a barn fire this morning. The fire destroyed a barn at the Arthur Kermode farm, 1554 S. Paddock Road, and kept two fire departments busy during most of the early morning hours this morning. Firefighter Mike Garrison was treated in the emergency room at Community South in Indianapolis for a pulled muscle in his back and was released this morning. The fire was reported at 1:54 a.m. today, and White River Township firefighters were at the scene until 9:15 a.m. Eighteen White River Township firefighters responded to the call, and six others from Bargersville provided extra manpower. Pat McDaniel, spokeswoman for the fire department, said the cause of the under investigation this morning. The two-story barn was a total loss, with just a portion of the frame still standing. McDaniel estimated the loss at $25,000. McDaniel said Kermode reported the fire after waking up and finding the barn engulfed in flames. “Because it was totally engulfed, we just stayed on the outside and tried to protect the surrounding structures,” McDaniel said. “We were fortunate that there was a hydrant directly across the street.” That helped firefighters save a smaller barn nearby. There was no livestock in the barn, but McDaniel said there was a small amount of hay or straw inside.  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)
 
 

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