On the morning of Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, at 2:20 a.m., the Pine River Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at a farm on County Rd. P. Initial dispatch reports indicated a machine shed was fully engulfed in flames.
Upon arrival, crews found the building, which was used to store farm implements, fully engulfed with the sidewalls starting to collapse. Although there were no additional structures that were threatened by the fire, firefighters were made aware of a gasoline storage container and LP cylinder that were near the burning building.
Crews from Pine River, Hewitt, and Texas extinguished the blaze. Firefighters and their equipment were hampered in the effort by artic temperatures, with a temperature of -6 degrees recorded.
Approximately 30,000 gallons of water were used to extinguish the fire.
The building and its contents are considered a total loss.
Further assistance on the scene was provided by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin Public Service, and the Lincoln County Highway Department.
Pine River Firefighters are grateful to Greg Metz for his quick response with the town truck, providing them with a safe environment to work on the road, at the fire scene, and at the nearby fill site.