(Le Mars) — Firefighters were called to 13167 Nickel Road this morning at about 10:49 a.m. for a report of a barn on fire. The fire was about a half mile from the intersection of Highway 60 and county road C-16, or about six miles northeast of Le Mars. According to Le Mars Fire Chief Dave Schipper, the fire was a result of cardboard boxes being burnt from a burn pile, and the southerly winds carried some burning embers to two nearby structures. Upon arrival, a smaller structure was fully on fire, and a larger barn had just started to catch on fire. Firefighters attacked the fire on the larger barn structure first, and were able to quickly extinguish the blaze
on the larger barn, and within minutes were able to control the fire. The smaller structure was listed as a total loss. The fire was reported by a passer-by traveling on highway 60 and noticed the smoke. The resident of the homestead was initially unaware of the structures that had caught on fire. Orange City Fire Department was called upon as a back-up, and to assist with supplying sufficient amounts of water for the fire. Firefighters were on the scene for approximately an hour and a half.
