Barn fire still smolders one day later

NEW HARMONY, Ind. (WEHT) – Wednesday evening it was flames lighting up the night sky. But less than 24 hours later, daylight shed light on the extent of the damage on a hay barn in Posey County. A day removed from that blaze, what fire officials in New Harmony called a controlled burn was still showing lots of smoke and even some flames. The incident occurred along West Old Dam Road just south of downtown New Harmony.

“I was sitting here going, ‘That’s a big burn’,” recalls New Harmony resident Robert Vanlaningham. “People’s talking about it, about that barn out there. We are kind of sad that he lost that barn and everything,” says Vanlaningham.

Vanlaningham says he was at home just a couple of miles away when the fire started. “I heard a bunch of sirens and stuff,” explains Vanlaningham. “So I hopped in the truck and went down the way there and I looked and I see fire trucks just flying by.”

Crews from the New Harmony Fire Department received assistance from at least five other agencies, including Black Township, Marrs Township, Griffin, Poseyville and Wadesville, totaling 35 firefighters. Due to the rural location and no hydrants, water tanks had to be brought in to battle the blaze.

“I’m proud of the fire department who did it,” says Vanlaningham. “All the fire departments that were out there, they deserve, you know, a ‘thanks’ for that. I’m glad they were on the scene.”

The fire was contained to the barn and the materials inside. No injuries were reported.

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