Bob and Sue Bird, who live about three miles northwest of Gallatin, lost a barn full of hay, some farm equipment, their son’s livestock show supplies, and other miscellaneous items, at about 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 8.
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Mr. Bird said there were 1,500 square bales of alfalfa hay in the barn, a 25 foot grain head for a combine, a Heston stack hand, and fans and halters and other equipment from Dillon’s show supplies.
Mr. Bird said he saw the barn on fire when he got up that morning. The door on the 40′ x 60′ barn opened to the south, he said, and the wind fueled the flames.
The wind was blowing away from the house, fortunately, and Dillon’s calves were outside the barn in a pen and they were able to get them out.
Mr. Bird said he is puzzled by what caught the barn on fire. He said there was no new hay in the barn; it had been three weeks since hay had been put in the barn and the hay was dry then. Still, he said, the fire seemed to have started in the hay and not by the electrical outlets.
He said the grain head was insured, some on the shed, but not on the contents. They were out the hay, the stack hand, and the show supplies.
The barn had burned to the ground by about 7:30. The Gallatin Fire Protection District was called to the scene.