Warren Township maintenance shop deemed ‘total loss’

The early hours of Tuesday morning had multiple emergency agencies from around the region responding to what was initially thought to be a large barn fire fueled by winds estimated at more than 40 mph.

The structure fire, which turned out to be a utility shop owned and operated by Tom Skene immediately west of the old Walker Motel (105 E. U.S. Highway 40), reached the ears of Chief Kerry Shepherd of the Cloverdale Fire Department (CFD) at 4:58 a.m. Tuesday.

“We were toned out at around 5 a.m. (Tuesday) morning and didn’t clear the scene until a little after 11 a.m.,” Chief Shepherd said. “One lane of U.S. 40 was closed from about 5:30 a.m. until 11 a.m.

“It was a total loss,” Shepherd continued, citing several explosions that took place while combating the flames. “Skene had a lot of equipment inside the 40-by-70 foot building -- he had a lot of paint, primer liquids, torches -- and the wind didn’t help anything.”

The fire is believed to have been caused by a wood-burning stove at the back of the structure, Shepherd said, referring to an investigator from the Indiana Fire Marshal’s Office.

A total of 16 entities were called to action Tuesday morning alongside CFD, providing tankers, rescue vehicles and ambulances. They included fire departments from Greencastle, Roachdale, Reelsville, Putnamville, Jefferson Township, Clinton Township, Madison Township, Fillmore and neighboring communities Cataract, Poland, Monrovia and Spencer.

Operation Life, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department and members from the Indiana Department of Transportation were also on hand, the latter of which directed traffic on U.S. 40 for more than six hours.

The scene was given the “all-clear” at 11:08 a.m., at which time traffic resumed and all entities returned to their respective stations.