Fire destroys barn
Flames destroyed a barn filled with hay south of Greencastle Thursday evening.
Greencastle firefighters were called to the Butler farm, located on Cemetery Road, just before 5 p.m. after a neighbor reported seeing smoke and flames.
Fire Chief Bill Newgent said he didn't know the size of the pole barn, which was a total loss, but the building was fully ablaze when the fire department arrived.
Water had to be brought in to fight the fire and extra help was needed from Bainbridge V.F.D., Cloverdale Township VFD, Reelsville Fire, Madison Township Fire, Jefferson Township F.D. and Fillmore Fire.
The fire proved extra difficult to fight due to the fact that there were 300 bales of hay stacked inside the barn. As darkness fell, crews were in the process of separating the smoldering bales and dousing them with water.
"It's a very intensive fire and it takes a lot of water and manpower to fight," Newgent said.
Chief Newgent said the barn was clearly a total loss. As of Thursday evening, he had not had time to estimate the value of the barn, hay and a trailer that were all destroyed.
There was no one inside the barn when the fire broke out and there were no reported injuries. Investigators have not figured out how the fire started.