UNIONVALE — The straw bales fire in Unionvale Thursday consumed more water than any other fire the O’Leary Volunteer Fire Department has ever responded to, said Chief Ron Phillips.
Philips said nearly 50 firefighters from four West Prince departments pumped 97,500 gallons of water on the rows of wrapped bales.
“I can’t say enough about the mutual aid boys,” Phillips said. “That’s exactly what we needed.”
A steady stream of tankers from the O’Leary, West Point, Alberton and Tignish Fire departments kept filling a drop tank at the scene, out of which teams of firefighters on hoses were able to maintain a constant assault on the stubborn fire.
Phillips said farm owner Ewen Stetson estimated he lost about 250 wrapped bales, mostly of straw, before the fire was extinguished. It had crept six rows deep into the stockpile of bales.
The chief said the outcome could have been much worse, pointing out the barns and all other farm equipment except for the bale wrapper were spared.
The fire started around 11:50 a.m. when a bale wrapper ignited some loose straw.
Phillips said O’Leary firefighter Jason Greenan was driving past the farm when he noticed the fire and pulled in to help, immediately summoning his department. The farm workers successfully hooked a chain to the wrapper and pulled it away from the row of bales, but the fire had already begun to spread.
Fire trucks from O’Leary were on the scene within five minutes. The neighbouring departments were called for back-up.
After firefighters gained the advantage, Phillips said a himack went to work ripping smouldering bales apart. That enabled the responding departments to get water into the center of the bales and snuff out the fire. The last trucks left the scene around 6 p.m.
With the thermometer hitting 33 degrees Celsius, it was already hot enough on the scene without factoring in a straw fire.
One O’Leary firefighter was taken to Western Hospital by ambulance. He was treated for dehydration and was back on scene about two hours later. Two other firefighters, Phillips said, had to take extended breaks after feeling the affects of heat exhaustion.
Phillips said the assistance of about a dozen local farmers was also appreciated.
