Monroe Fire Protection District battle pole barn and van fire

MONROE CO. – Monroe Fire Protection District units responded to a pole barn fire on Schacht Road Monday.

Due to the already extensive fire growth and damage to the building firefighters made a defensive attack on the fire from the outside.

Once the main body of fire was extinguished crews spent a few hours pulling sheet metal and other debris out of the structure exposing other hidden pockets of fire.

The homeowners were home at the time of the fire. The homeowner’s son noticed smoke coming from the garage and woke up his father. When they got to the garage and opened the door they noticed a piece of equipment inside the building was on fire. The homeowners attempted to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher but the fire was growing too quickly, so they left and called 911.

The garage and contents inside are a total loss, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Around 4:30 a.m. as fire units cleared the structure fire they were dispatched to a vehicle fire at Woodland Springs Apartments.

Firefighters arrived to find a minivan fully engulfed with smoke and flames.

The car owner actually got in the van while it was still on fire to move it out of the parking spot away from other vehicles and the building. They then went to retrieve a fire extinguisher and when they returned the car was completely consumed by fire.

Firefighters arrived on the scene and were able to quickly extinguish the fire.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.