Libby firefighters douse hay fire north of town
Libby volunteer fire fighters hose down a pile of burning hay that caught fire on state Highway 37 north of Libby. Fire Chief Steve Lauer said a mechanical malfunction in at least one of the wheels of the trailer carrying the hay sparked the flames. (Will Langhorne/The Western News)
Libby volunteer fire fighters hose down a pile of burning hay that caught fire on state Highway 37 north of Libby. Fire Chief Steve Lauer said a mechanical malfunction in at least one of the wheels of the trailer carrying the hay sparked the flames. (Will Langhorne/The Western News)
The Libby Volunteer Fire Department extinguished a hay fire near Rainy Creek on June 21.
A trailer transporting hay bales on state Highway 37 caught fire when a mechanical malfunction caused one of the trailer wheels to overheat, according to Fire Chief Steve Lauer. One engine, two tenders, the department’s command center vehicle and roughly 15 firefighters responded to the scene early in the afternoon.
While the blaze consumed the trailer, Lauer said the driver was able to disconnect his vehicle before it suffered fire damage. The hay fire did not result in any injuries.
Chapman Construction and Noble Excavating lent a hand in dousing the fire. A small backhoe-like device provided by Noble Excavating helped firefighters spread the hay and cool buried hot spots. Dump trucks provided by Chapman Construction allowed volunteers to transport the burned hay to the Lincoln County landfill.
Lauer was thankful for the equipment, saying it made the work easier and safer for firefighters.