Fire destroyed a garage and some equipment in Castle Hill on Saturday morning, but farm animals escaped harm.
Flames already had engulfed the garage and caused the roof to collapse by the time firefighters from the Mapleton Castle Hill and Chapman Fire Department responded to the fire call at 11:34 a.m., according to fire chief Richard Wark.
Brent Nickerson, who owns the property at 522 Dudley Rd., told firefighters that family members tried but were unable to put out the fire, which started around the wood stove being used to heat the garage, Wark reported. They did, however, manage to salvage some of the equipment stored in the garage. The garage, tools and other equipment were destroyed.
The garage was located next to a horse pasture which contained several horses, but none of the animals was injured. Also located beside the garage was the firewood supply for the family for this winter.
The family believed they had limited insurance on the structure, according to the fire chief.
Wark said a total of 25 firefighters fought the blaze in a wind-chill of -14 at the time of the fire. Mutual aid was provided by Presque Isle Fire Department with a tanker and a crew at the scene and Washburn fire manned the Mapleton station with and engine and a crew. Crown Emergency Services provided coverage for EMS.
There were no injuries and no equipment freeze ups, according to Wark. He said crews cleared the scene at 1 p.m. and spent another hour thawing hose and putting trucks back in service.
