Dairy farm fire in Adams County, Pennsylvania. Tractor fire spreads to structures.

Pictures on this page from Steve Roth, SJ Roth Photography. Click the image for more of Steve's photos from the fire.

Take a virtual tour of the JoBo Holstein Farm

A feed mixing shed was destroyed and part of a cattle barn damaged in a fire Friday evening in Adams County, Pennsylvania. The fire was at the JoBo Holstein Farm located on Tall Oaks Road. Bonneauville Community Fire Company Chief Jerry Poland reported seeing a thermal column from the firehouse two miles away as he responded to the fire at 5:19 PM.

When Chief Poland arrived, a fire that started in a tractor had spread to the feed mixing station and the cattle barn, home to 120 cows. The farm is owned by John and Bonnie Hess and their children. The cows survived.

Here are excerpts from an article by John Messeder at GettysburgTimes.com:

One of John Hess’ daughters, Josie Riser, discovered the fire in its early stages. She was coming from her home adjacent to the farm, when she rounded the feed structure and saw the John Deere payloader on fire. She called to her brother.

“He said to get some chain, and he called 9-1-1,” she said.

Her brother chained a car to the tractor and tried without success to pull it from the feed building. Josie climbed into a nearby feed truck and moved it to safety. She and her brother were clear of the tractor when fire burned into the tires and they exploded, shaking house windows a quarter mile away.

The fire rose up into a wet wind, blowing across a 50-foot open area to some large straw bales, setting them on fire.

“The owner (John Hess) and I decided to write off this (feed) building and save (the barn),” Poland said.

Steve Roth, who provided the pictures on this page,  said fire crews operated for five hours. The farm provides product for Land O’Lakes and Hershey’s.

Here are some additional details about the fire Chief Poland provided to STATter911.com:

2nd and 3rd alarms were struck within minutes, bringing additional Tankers, as the fire was located in a non-hydrant area. Two trucks were placed into operation to provide cover for the exposed buildings, and suppression efforts. A total of 11 volunteer Departments were called to the scene, as Firefighters battled 30+ mph winds, extreme ice conditions, and temperatures in the low 20′s. Two heated rehab trailers were called to the scene to provide shelter to firefighters as they rotated through after their assignments. There were no firefighter injuries reported.

Also on STATter911 …

• Blaine, Pennsylvania house fire kills seven children. Bodies found in Perry County farmhouse. – March 9, 2011
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• Extensive raw video: Catskill Tractor Inc. fire in Franklin, New York. – May 3, 2011