Barn fire last night.....

[FarmerDenise]

CovenantCreek asked

I lived in the country when I was a teen. My understanding is that if hay gets wet, it starts to decompose, and that causes it to heat up and spontaneously combust. This can also happen, if the hay is bailed and stored before it is totally dried out.
We used to help a local farmer out in haying time and he was always carefull that his hay was dry and stayed that way.
Once us kids were playing in the hay loft and actually saw a haybale start to smoke and managed to douse it before it actually became a fire. There had been a small leak in the roof above the bale.

boilerjoe_96
Sorry to hear about the fire, that is always such a scary thing when you live in a remote area. Sure glad no one got hurt.

 

[JackieK318]

Quote:
Fire extinguishers should be everywhere. Sam's Club and Costco have them in a three pack even.

I'm glad your birds survived. I sure hope the damages aren't too severe - and glad you're okay too!

 

[boilerjoe_96]

Ultimately not sure on the fire.

Could have been hay, it was marginal anyway baled in middle of Oct which is cool here in Indiana, could have been a heat lamp out there for broody hen. It had been out there for 2 weeks and I thought was safe. The turkeys are big and clumsy, maybe they knocked it around, maybe it shorted out...who knows... I am scared to use them now though....

I am now questioning everything I do, from the long extension cord I used, was it big enough? The lamps themselves. The hay. everything.

Barn isn't too bad a few pieces of lumber to reinforce the purlins and maybe one truss and it will be fine. Steel roof may have to be replaced in sections where it got hot. Biggest loss (dollar wise) is the hay, hay is very expensive this year due to lack of supply.

I tell you it was quite the production as not only the 3 departments showed up, but a couple county cops, an ambulance, the local TV station, newspaper, County emergency management team, Red cross(to hand out water and coffee, it was 20 degrees). Almost to the point of being embarassing... Not how I wanted to make the news or paper.

As a husband and father I take care of my wife and kids, I solve their problems. I felt so helpless after going through the fire extinguishers, as this problem I couldn't solve. All I could do is wait, and watch the flames/smoke in the barn...

Everyone please double check your heatlamps, i would hate for someone to lose a building, animals or anything due to a heatlamp...

 

[jab91864]

It sounds like a horrendous experience. I am glad to hear you and the animals are safe !!!

I'm too afraid to put heat lamps in my coop. I have terrible visions somehow it will come unhooked or drop and the straw and pine shavings will set fire. I'm a worrier by nature. Ya just never know !!

I'm in a rural area and you truly have to appreciate the volunteer fire dept !!

Try not to beat yourself up too badly over this. Hindsight is 20/20 but you don't know what really happened and maybe it couldn't have been prevented...sometimes things are just unexplainable.

Just be thankful it didn't end as badly as it could have.

Julie

 

[Carole AM]

Joe,
I'm so glad YOU & the family are alright! Sorry for your loss.

 

[Chellester]

Sorry about your barn burning, but how wonderful all your chickens and turkeys survived!

 

[jjthink]

So very glad everyone is okay. So sorry about your barn.
JJ

 

[tiffanyh]

My understanding is that if hay gets wet, it starts to decompose, and that causes it to heat up and spontaneously combust. This can also happen, if the hay is bailed and stored before it is totally dried out.
We used to help a local farmer out in haying time and he was always carefull that his hay was dry and stayed that way.
Once us kids were playing in the hay loft and actually saw a haybale start to smoke and managed to douse it before it actually became a fire. There had been a small leak in the roof above the bale.

I was just about to say that. My neighbor and ex boss is a farmer and told me this, never seen it happen but she know people who have lost barns to this. I always wondered why she let the grass/hay sit before baling it.

Sorry for your loss, glad the birds made it through.​

 

[Itsme]

Quote:
Uff-da, powerful words right there.

So glad that it wasn't any worse.

 

[BirdBrain]

My understanding is that if hay gets wet, it starts to decompose, and that causes it to heat up and spontaneously combust. This can also happen, if the hay is bailed and stored before it is totally dried out.

Like Tiffanyh, I was about to say this too. The guy my folks get hay from did not bring them a load this year that they had expected because when he checked the humidity (?) of the bales they were too wet and he opted to sell them to someone who was not storing them in a closed barn...I guess that would allow them to continue to dry. I am sure glad for an honest hay man.

I am so glad your birds made it and your tractor as well. Sounds like with some repairs you will be up and running. Yeah, living out in the country has its challenges. My folks build their buildings (including the separate garage) atleast 20 feet (preferrably more) away from each other because it would take so long for the volunteer fire department to get there.

You might want to watch your birds for any signs of respiratory distress, wheezing or the like. They may be more prone (just guessing here) to respiratory trouble as time goes on due to their exposure to the smoke for so long. You might even consider getting some replacements this spring to have "in the wings" in case these take a turn for the worse. I hope they don't but that way you can have a back up. Also, it is a lovely excuse to get some more birds...how 'bout adding some ducks and geese this time.

Okay, enough of my enabling. I hope your day goes better today!!​