Antiques Lost In Barn FireATWOOD – A Wednesday morning barn fire started with a spark from welding.
Atwood Fire Department Captain Randall Byrer estimated the damage was more than $100,000 because of the antiques that were stored in the barn.
The property at 4340 N. CR 800W, Etna Green, is owned by Philip L. and Sarah Mae Overholt, according to county records.
One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion because of high temperatures.
Byrer said Atwood Fire Department received the call about the fire at 10:20 a.m.
Byrer said a man had been welding earlier in the day. A spark caught grass on fire, and it smoldered for about an hour, but the property owner never saw it.
After he did his welding, he went back in the house, then went outside to mow. As he was mowing, he happened to look over and saw the barn on fire. He called 911.
“Be very, very cautious in dry conditions,” Byrer warned. “Be cautious of welding and dry conditions. You can lose a lot of property quickly.”
There were no animals or vehicles in the barn, but it had been used for storage of antiques as the property owner is an auctioneer.
Etna Green and Nappanee Fire Departments provided a full assist to Atwood, Bourbon provided tankers, and Warsaw and Bremen Fire Departments provided manpower. A total of 66 firefighters were on scene, with the final one leaving the scene at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
The American Red Cross provided food and water for the firefighters. Lutheran EMS was at the scene on standby.
