Combine fire a safety reminder

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WEST ALEXANDRIA—On Thursday, July 23, the West Alexandria Fire Department responded to a combine fire near the intersection of Lexington-Salem Road and Preble County Line Road in West Alexandria.

The fire was contained to the combine and did not spread to other parts of the field.

The fire is a good reminder for farmers to take precautions to prevent fires from starting, as combine fires can easily spread into field fires and grow out of control.

Eaton Fire Chief Jake Royer says these types of fires are concerns every year locally, and says farmers and combine operators should have two ABC fire extinguishers available and easily accessible on the combine in case a fire does break out.

Beyond having the ABC fire extinguishers, Royer said things like basic maintenance and cleaning can help prevent fires: “keeping the equipment clear of combustible debris; this should be done regularly and routinely. An accumulation of combustibles combine with hot objects or overheated equipment is often the cause,” Royer said.

Royer also explained the operators should be comfortable with operating the extinguisher, because response times can often be slower for these types of fires.

“Response of fire equipment takes longer primarily because of travel time — locating the equipment fire in expansive areas and finding an access point is time consuming, causing further delay in extinguishment and allowing fires to grow. Equipment operators should carry larger extinguishers and be prepared to use them,” Royer said.

Members of the West Alexandria Fire Department put out a combine fire near the intersection of Lexington Salem Road and Preble County Line Road, on Thursday, July 23, around 1:30 p.m. Eaton Fire Division Chief Jack Royer said combine owners and drivers should always have two ABC extinguishers available to help prevent fires from getting out of control.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2015/07/web1_Tractor-Fire-3-.jpgMembers of the West Alexandria Fire Department put out a combine fire near the intersection of Lexington Salem Road and Preble County Line Road, on Thursday, July 23, around 1:30 p.m. Eaton Fire Division Chief Jack Royer said combine owners and drivers should always have two ABC extinguishers available to help prevent fires from getting out of control.

Members of the West Alexandria Fire Department put out a combine fire near the intersection of Lexington Salem Road and Preble County Line Road, on Thursday, July 23, around 1:30 p.m. Eaton Fire Division Chief Jack Royer said combine owners and drivers should always have two ABC extinguishers available to help prevent fires from getting out of control.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2015/07/web1_Tractor-Fire-4-.jpgMembers of the West Alexandria Fire Department put out a combine fire near the intersection of Lexington Salem Road and Preble County Line Road, on Thursday, July 23, around 1:30 p.m. Eaton Fire Division Chief Jack Royer said combine owners and drivers should always have two ABC extinguishers available to help prevent fires from getting out of control.

By Austin Schmidt

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Reach Austin Schmidt at 937-683-4062 or [email protected].

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