Sunday fire sends two firefighters to hospital for evaluation

Reelsville Volunteer Fire Department battled a field and woods fire Saturday afternoon, which quickly spread through the five acre area. (Photo courtesy of Reelsville VFD Facebook page.)

REELSVILLE -- A Sunday afternoon fire resulted in two Reelsville Volunteer Fire Department firefighters spending the night in the hospital.

According to the Reelsville Volunteer Fire Department's Facebook page, at 3:17 p.m. Sunday, RVFD was dispatched to 7286 S. County Road 325 West for a field and woods fire. Upon arrival it was determined the property owners had reportedly been burning trash, which had caught the woods on fire.

The fire spread quickly, consuming an area of about five acres of woods.

With the help of Greencastle Fire Department and the Cloverdale Township Volunteer Fire Department, RVFD used water and hand tools to contain the fire and ultimately extinguish it.

Reelsville assistant Chief John McPherson added the departments contained the fire within an hour and remained at the scene until 3:30 p.m. to tend to hot spots.

One firefighter was transported to Putnam County Hospital and another later admitted for overnight evaluation for heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation.

Both were released from the hospital Monday.