01/15/2008
enlarge
Staff photo by Jim Evansfrom the Kennebec Journal
Women's Lobby marks 30 years Group has made impact on Maine's legislative process
Lawsuit takes on sex offender registry rule
Mainers who lived through Great Depression have stories to tell and advice for coping
Intrepid creek chubs stuck in a ditch
Musical tribute to JFK worthy
Collins wants to focus on concrete achievements
Let's move on in new Patriots season
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Gardiner opens with victory
All of today's:
News | Sports
from the Kennebec Journal
from the Morning Sentinel
LESSONS FROM THE DEPRESSION use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
John Doe cases are challenge to registry Sex offenders from years past file lawsuit to prevent public disclosure of their names
Allen working hard to extend political base
Collins savors chance to hear opinions
Maine Women's Lobby gathers for 30th anniversary celebration
Educators question standardized test's validity
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Waterville beats Morse, then prays for teammate
Let's move on in new Patriots season
All of today's:
News | Sports
from the Morning Sentinel
Firefighters from four towns battled the 6:49 p.m. blaze after arriving at the beef farm in a blinding snowstorm.
"I've got a tractor, loader, feed wagon, Skid Steer (front-end loader), all the tools in there," said Bruce Kingsbury, as he stood on the snowy road and watched the barn collapse. "She's gone."
Kingsbury, who lives just down the road from the barn, operates the beef farm for owner Steve McGee of Gardiner. Kingsbury said the wood barn with metal roof and sides was about 70-by-40-feet and built in 1972.
It appeared by 7:40 p.m. that firefighters from Vassalboro, Winslow, China and South China were able to spare a seed barn to the north of the burning structure as well as an equipment shed to the south.
Kingsbury said he believed the barn was insured.
"You never have enough (insurance) anyway," he said.
He said he could not say how the fire started.
"I haven't worked in there for four or five days," he said.
A couple who own a dairy farm next door, Donna and John Fisher, also stood on the road watching firefighters yank on large sheets of metal from the roof and try to haul them away from the fire. The Fisher farm is about 400 feet from the equipment barn.
Donna Fisher said she called 911 when she looked out the window and saw flames.
"My tenant called and said there was a fire next door," she said. "We were concerned because we didn't know if we had to evacuate. Our barn is full of hay and animals."
The Fishers said the beef operation has only been in business about five years. Before that, it was a dairy farm operated by Thelma Rancourt, who still lives in the farm house on Dunham Road, John Fisher said.
The equipment shed to the south of the burning barn housed methanol until about five months ago, he said. Randy Bean had stored the methanol there but moved it to U.S. Route 201, he said.
The fire occurred about 10 miles from Augusta and about eight miles from Cumberland Farms in Winslow, according to Fisher. Dunham Road connects to U.S. Route 201 on either end, he said.
The Fishers have 180 cows on their farm. John Fisher said the seed barn to the north of the burning barn is owned by Newman Gamage of Augusta.
Amy Calder -- 861-9247
acalder@centralmaine.com
Reader comments
There are not yet any comments. Post your comment and it will appear here.
You must be a registered user of MaineToday.com to post a comment. Register or log in.