Community News

After fire, authorities stress burn ban remains in effect

WAVERLY -- An outbuilding was destroyed Monday afternoon on Miracle Lane when someone burning brush lost control of the fire, the Waverly Volunteer Fire Chief said.

Around 3 p.m. Monday, crews from the Waverly Volunteer Fire Department, Williamstown Volunteer Fire Department and the East Wood Volunteer Fire Departments responded to 187 Miracle Lane to a report of a barn/outbuilding on fire after someone was burning brush and lost control of it.

Waverly Chief Dennis McAtee said a neighbor started a fire along a fence line to clear out some brush.

"It took off along the fence line and got into some other brush and started the building on fire," he said.

McAtee said the person was burning before the designated burn time of 5 p.m. He said conditions are still pretty dry out and burning is not advised.

"We are still in fire season month with burning not supposed to be happening until after 5 p.m.," McAtee said. "(The neighbor) was definitely burning before that time and he is also liable for the other guy's property.

"It got away from him."

McAtee said around a dozen firefighters responded as well as tanker trucks from the different departments to supply water to the scene.

"We had plenty of water on scene," he said.

Crews had the fire out quickly after responding. The building was a total loss.

No injuries were reported among the residents and fire crews.

McAtee is reminding people not to burn outside designated times and to never leave a fire unattended and always have a water source nearby.

"We are trying to get the word out to the people to not burn," he said. "It is hard getting people to understand if you come out on a nice day like this and they want to try to burn up brush piles from the winter, it is still too dry.

"That is why the ban is still on to keep people from burning until after 5 p.m. in the evening. Even then, there is supposed to be a 10-foot perimeter around it and you have to stay with it at all times."

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com