WHEATLAND, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Update: It seems the fire that continued to smolder and have hot spots that required firefighter attention for days has officially been put out.
According to Steen Township Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Tim Yochum, the department hasn’t had to go to the location for the last 24 hours. Yochum added that firefighters visited the property a total of 9 times since the fire began on Monday.
The fire reportedly started somewhere on a neighboring property and then spread to the house with multiple structures burning as a result.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.
Original: Crews continue to battle a blaze in Wheatland where multiple structures have been reported to be on fire.
The fire is reportedly in the 600 block of E. Old Highway 50. The call for the fire came in just before 5:00 p.m. on October 24. Knox County Dispatch has confirmed that multiple structures caught fire.
Tim Yochum, assistant chief of the Steen Township Volunteer Fire Department, reported Wednesday around 8:30 a.m. that fire officials are continuing to contain the embers. Yochum said the crews “were still putting out hotspots” on Tuesday and that the structures were a “total loss.” Yochum also mentioned that the buildings were full of things that gave the fire a lot of fuel like clothing, books, and papers. The structures were built with metal roofing and several layers of shingles underneath that made it difficult for crews to break through and ventilate the fire. As of Wednesday morning, Yochum said that most of the fire was put out, but that there is one spot in the chimney of the structure that is still smoldering. “It’s still smoldering in spots, but it’s not flaring up like it was,” Yochum said.
Fire officials used water as well as foam to keep the fire under control. Using about 250 gallons of water and 20 gallons of foam, fire officials are thankful for the recent rainy weather.
“This wind, we’re having a lot of trouble with it. It’s causing the embers to flare up again, but the rain has actually helped us. I’m blessed that this rain came on when it did,” Yochum said.
It initially took around 2 hours to stifle the flames when the fire started on Monday. Yochum commented that there were a total of 8 surrounding departments were involved to help contain the fire. Yochum added that the fire had started in the neighboring yard and spread to the structures from there. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
