Lightning strike suspected in fire that destroyed barn and contents

Lightning is suspected to have caused a fire that destroyed a barn and its contents early Sunday evening near Cuzco.

The Dubois Volunteer Fire Department received the call of a possible barn fire at the Pankey Farm on Cuzco Road North at 6:31 p.m.

A neighbor to the property, Daniel Viveiros of 7520 N Cuzco Road North, called in the report after a close lightning strike.

Upon arrival, firefighters found a 60-by-60 barn engulfed in flames. The building had about 40 large round bales of hay, a tractor, two hay rakes, a hay tedder, and a square baler.

Firefighters were able to put out most of the fire except for the bales which were burning very hot. A track hoe was brought in by Freyberger Farms out of Dubois to bury the burning bales to prevent any embers from reaching a nearby barn.

Firefighters tried to save some of the equipment in the barn, but most of it was destroyed. The most valuable piece of equipment, a John Deere model 5400 tractor, was located in the center of the building and was a total loss.

The owners, Dennis and Mary Pankey of 10901 E. Cuzco Norton Road do not live on the property.

Mr. Pankey was on the scene and stated that he had been there earlier in the day to check on the cattle and nothing was out of the ordinary.

The barn was insured.

Thirty firefighters and three trucks responded to the scene and were there for about six hours.