7281 Stewarts Ferry Pike - At approximately 5:20PM, firefighters from the Wilson County Emergency Management Agency were dispatched to a reported fully-involved barn fire.

The first arriving unit was Engine-51 (C Shift) under the command of Lieutenant Scott Lorden [804]. Lieutenant Lorden radioed back to dispatch that he did have a fully involved barn, approximately 50' x 30', with no exposures. The barn contained only hay wheels and was already a total loss. Two 1.75 inch handlines were stretched and a defensive operation was initiated.

Additional responding units to the scene included a Deputy from The Wilson County Sheriff's Office, Engine-61, Tanker-91, Medic-31, Medic-51, and Engine-31. Deputy Director/Fire Chief Jeremy Hobbs [901] and Off-duty A-Shift Captain Alan Kaiser [601] also responded to the scene to assist.

Engine-61 was second due and began preparations for water shuttle operations. Once Tanker-91 arrived on the scene, a port-a-tank was erected and tanker shuttles began.

No less than 10,000 gallons of water were applied to the blaze, and, even thought the main body of fire was knocked down, the remnants would be left to burn for days as there was no way to fully extinguish the fire.

The barn contained large hay wheels which served as a food source for the 80 head of cattle that occupied the land the barn was built on.

The Wilson County Emergency Services Rehab Association [Rehab-23] also responded to the scene and provided much needed scene support for the firefighters operating on the scene.

The cause of the fire was a carelessly discarded cigarette which was not fully extinguished. In the time it took the subject to run for a bucket of water to douse the smoldering straw, the fire had already spread uncontrollably to the rest of the barn.

There were no injuries to firefighters, civilians, or livestock as a result of this fire.