Plymouth Fire Dept. assists LaPaz Fire with huge barn fire

Fire Chief Steve Holm with the Plymouth Fire Department told WTCA Monday morning firefighters and trucks from Plymouth responded to a large barn fire

It happened early Monday morning on 3B Road between Plymouth and LaPaz.  He said the barn was fully involved when they arrived on the scene.   

While the fire was in the LaPaz Fire Department’s territory at 14251 3B Road they needed assistance with water, manpower, and equipment.  Eleven different departments provided mutual aid and were on the scene for many hours battling the blaze and putting out the hot spots.        

The 911 call went out at 2:45 in the morning.

The deeded property owner listed on the Marshall County GIS is Matthew Youdbulis.   

The hay barn was estimated to be 200 feet x 200 feet and over 100 years old.  It collapsed during the fire.  The farmer lost all the hay and some equipment in the fire.  No people or animals were injured in the blaze.

The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined yet.  Freshly baled hay can spontaneously combust due to a chemical reaction that occurs when the internal temperature of the hay rises above 130 degrees.  This reaction produces flammable gas that can ignite if the temperature gets high enough, which can happen when hay bales or stacks are stored in places with high humidity or where moisture can linger, like barns with leaky roofs.