(MITCHELL) – A brush hog caused a large cornfield fire in the 800 block of Grandma Brown Road around 3:42 p.m. Friday.
Gary Hall was also working the field when he noticed the brush hog and a tractor a 78-year old man was driving catch on fire. He ran to the tractor and assisted that gentlemen out of the tractor. Neither man was injured during the incident.
Fire officials believe the brush hog got too hot and, with dry conditions, sparked the large fire.
According to Huron Volunteer Fire Chief Bill Kinser, windy conditions caused the fire to quickly spread into four areas of the cornfield.
The Huron Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to the fire and officials estimate at least 15-20 acres burned. Before the evening was over six fire departments were dispatched to the scene.
Huron, Indian Creek, Marion, Mitchell, Orange County Rural District # 2, Shawswick, Lawrence County Emergency Management, and Seal Ambulance Crews responded to the incident.
One of tractors and brush hogs was destroyed in the fire.
The field is owned by a person in Layefette, Indiana and is being rented by Kyle Hall of Bedford.
Firefighters remained on the scene until about 7:30 p.m. and it took several minutes to bring the fire under control. A nearby farmer was contacted to help get the fire contained.
This fire comes after the National Weather Service issued a high fire risk on Saturday afternoon. Winds of 30 MPH, low humidity, and dry ground will lead to increased fire danger Saturday afternoon and early evening.
This makes one of three large fires that occured in the state with one large fire in Knox County and another large cornfield and soybean fire in Carroll County, Indiana.
Burn bans remain in Lawrence County, however, fire departments throughout the county have been dispatched to illegal burns.
