Structure Fire - Lima - Monday - May 29th, 2006 - Memorial Day

Shortly before 4:00 PM on Monday May 29, the Lima Fire Department was dispatched to a reported barn fire at the Ronald Blodgett residence at 1556 Bragg St. in the Town of Lima.   Debris from a barn that was being torn down ignited behind the home sending a column of smoke into the afternoon sky.  Responding Lima Firefighters, under the direction of Chief Andy Luft, called for a mutual aid tanker from the West Bloomfield Fire Department as they arrived.  Hose was laid up the long driveway and water put on the house to keep the fire from spreading.  The flames were quickly extinguished.  Office of Emergency Management Services Fire Investigators Jerry Gehrig and Tom Pearson responded to assist with the Cause and Origin determination.  The fire began when a embers from a burn pile to the North of the barn blew into the pile of debris.  The burn pile, though not used for quite a period of time, still contained enough heat that when combined with the strong winds were able to re-ignite the fire.  The house received no damage.  Livingston County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Dougherty assisted at the scene.  Story and Pictures provided by Tom Pearson.