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By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor
‘It’s an exterior fight — we’re not going inside because the roof is caving right in.’
HART — Firefighters from multiple departments battled a barn fire near the city’s historic district Monday afternoon, July 1, at 109 S. Union St.
No injuries were reported. The fire began in a small dog house and spread to the nearby barn.
“It started out as a dog house on fire, and then it moved over to the barn,” said Hart Fire Chief Dwight Fuehring during an interview on scene. The barn is privately owned and not part of the historic district, said Fuehring. Although, the large two-story barn is a historical structure. “It’s been here forever,” said the chief. Hart City Manager Rob Splane said the barn is an old blacksmith shop.
Firefighters from Hart, Shelby-Benona and Pentwater initially responded to the scene. Two more departments were called in — Grant Township and Ferry Township.
Life EMS and Hart Police Department were also on scene, as well as the Grant Township Fire Department rehab trailer.
A gigantic cloud of black smoke could be seen from several miles away.
It is expected the firefighters will remain on scene fighting the massive blaze originally dispatched around 3 p.m. for several hours. “We’ve got two aerials going — we’re going to be here awhile.”
At the time of the interview around 4 p.m., Fuehring said there were about 30 firefighters on scene and expected about another 20 more to arrive with the additional two departments coming in.
“It’s an exterior fight — we’re not going inside because the roof is caving right in. Most fires travel upstairs.”
A person apparently lived in a portion of the barn, but it was determined that no one was inside it at the time of the fire.
Command reported to central dispatch the fire was “knocked down” shortly before 7 p.m.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
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