Fire damages barn in Pulawski Township, some livestock lost

by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor

Area fire crews battled a large barn fire late Monday at the John Romel farm in Pulawski Township. While a 30-by-70 building received extensive damage and more than 30 pigs were lost, 60 of the animals were saved and there were no injuries to residents or firefighters. The fire was called in by a passerby at 9:30 p.m. The farm is located at the intersection of East Metz Highway and Hincka Road.

The brightness of the fire could be seen from M-65 a few miles away. ?The fire was on the north end of the building,? said Posen Area Fire and Rescue (PAFR) captain Terry Buczkowski. ?The wind was coming out of the north and pushing it into the building. We went about mid-building and tried pushing it back.? Another difficulty in fighting the fire was the effort to save as many pigs as possible. Prior to the first fire fighters arriving, the owner opened the gates to try and let them loose, but ?they wouldn?t leave the barn,? sai

d Buczkowski.

A PICKUP TRUCK was used to pull a tractor hooked to a feed grinder out of harm?s way. It ?received minimal damage, if any,? said Buczkowski. Hay stored on the north end was destroyed, though. Buczkowski said crews were able to hold the flames back and prevent further damage. The nearby house, west of the barn, was never in danger as the smoke billowed over fire trucks parked on East Metz Highway. There was a small flare up between 3:30 a.m. and 4 a.m. that sent some firefighters back out. It was the first fire call for PAFR?s new 2010 International tanker truck that arrived in November.

Full crews from Posen Area Fire and Rescue and Rogers City Fire Department fought to contain the flames. Buczkowski said he had 15 members of his crew there. No cause has been determined. John Kasuba, fire investigator for the Presque Isle County Sheriff?s Department, was going to be on the scene Tuesday afternoon. The Romels had the building insured. Case Township Fire Department provided assistance by dispatching a tanker. Also assisting at the scene was the sheriff?s department and Allied Ambulance.

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