Fire destroys barn, tractors, farm equipment

A fire destroyed a 100-plus-year-old barn and its contents Thursday evening west of Schnellville.

The Schnellville and St. Anthony Volunteer Fire Departments responded to the fire at the Knust residence at 6185 East Schnellville Road shortly before 6 p.m. When they arrived, the 50-foot-by-80-foot timber-frame structure belonging to the Knust family was fully engulfed, said Schnellville Assistant Fire Chief Lenny Verkamp.

Firefighters began working to contain the fire and keep it from spreading to any other nearby structures on the property. The closest hydrant to the property was about a half mile away, according to Verkamp, so he called for tankers from Celestine and Birdseye to assist.

Eventually, they used a track hoe to pull the structure apart and suppress the fire completely.

Verkamp said the barn and its contents, which included three tractors, implements and about 100 large round bales of hay, were a complete loss. Since the bales will likely continue to smolder for days, they will likely be buried Friday.

Verkamp estimated the damage to exceed $200,000. According to county records, the barn was constructed between 1900 and 1910.

“It’s hard to put a price on a barn like this and all the older equipment inside,” Verkamp said.

He added they weren’t sure what started the fire, but insurance would be on the scene today. If the insurance company thought it was necessary, it would request the state fire marshal’s office to investigate.

There were no injuries reported.

Schnellville Volunteer Fire Department responded with four trucks and 24 firefighters, St. Anthony had three trucks and 29 firefighters, Celestine responded with its tanker and 13 firefighters, and Birdseye sent a tanker and five firefighters. The Dubois County Sheriff’s Office also responded.

Schnellville Road was closed during the incident.