Saturday at 5:21 p.m., the Merrill Fire Department was dispatched for a report of a tractor fire near a barn at W6580 Glenn Drive, Town of Scott. The initial response from Merrill Fire Department included Engine 62, Tender 65, and Medic 61.
While en route to the incident, Command from Engine 62 requested mutual aid from Corning Fire in the form of a Tender and Engine, an additional tender was requested from Pine River Fire. Tomahawk EMS was requested to standby in Irma. WPS was requested to the scene to disconnect power if necessary. Traffic control was performed by law enforcement.
Upon arrival, on-scene command reported heavy fire from a large tractor and implement, with flames impinging on a pole barn and four silos. Merrill fire companies pulled two pre-connected hose lines and a water monitor to protect the barn and silos. A rural water shuttle operation was established and approximately 7,000 gallons of water was moved to the scene. The fire was extinguished by on scene firefighters.
Interviews were conducted by the fire department with the worker who was driving the tractor and the farm owners on the scene. It was reported that the tractor had been in for mechanical repairs for the last 10 day and after it was returned to the farmer, after two hours of use it had started smoking in the engine compartment. No fire was found at that time the repair shop was requested by the farmer. Approximately two hours after the repair shop was notified, the tractor became totally involved in fire. The tractor and implement were a total loss with damage to the pole barn and silos. The damage is estimated at $275,000.00 to tractor, buildings and contents.
No injuries to citizens or fire service personnel were reported. The Merrill Fire Department received mutual from Corning Fire Department, Pine River Fire Department, Tomahawk EMS and law enforcement.