Fire consumes Custer barn

By Meg Olson

Fire left only the metal shell of a 6,000 square-foot barn in Custer Thursday, causing almost $250,000 in damage and rattling neighbors. “I got off the freeway and saw this column of black smoke and as I got closer to home, I got closer to it,” said Kris Walbrun, who lives behind the property. “When I got home, things were definitely booming in there.”

Fire district 13 first responded to the call in the 8400 block of Custer School Road at 3:30 p.m. and firefighters from districts 3 and 7 came to provide water and command support. The fire was under control within a half-hour, according to District 13 captain Murray Folk. Firefighters were on scene until 7:30. There were no injuries.

“It was a defensive fire,” Folk said. “Our main objective was to protect nearby homes.” The barn, which contained hay, vehicles and welding equipment, was fully in flames when fire crews arrived. District 13 Captain Jim Rutherford said booms heard by neighbors were probably due to bursting tires and exploding fuel tanks and acetylene/oxygen canisters. “The tires on a backhoe make a lot of noise when they blow,” he said.
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