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BY CRAIG CROSBY
Staff Writer 07/01/2008

enlarge Staff photo by Andy Molloy

BURNED BARN: Litchfield farmer Thomas Campbell surveys the remains of his burn Monday after it burned following a lightening strike Sunday. Nobody was injured as a result of the blaze.

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LITCHFIELD -- Thomas Campbell worked late Friday night trying to squeeze in the last few hours toward completely restoring a small front-end loader tractor.

By Sunday afternoon, the tractor was up in smoke -- along with the Hallowell Road barn and all the tools Campbell needs to make a living stored inside.

"I was within hours of having (the tractor) all repainted and having it ready to go," he said.

The fire, sparked by a lightning strike, quickly consumed the large, 100-year-old barn as well a milk house Campbell added when he bought the farm in 1975 and part of a free stall barn Campbell built in 1980.

The remaining portion of the freestall barn will likely have to be torn down, Campbell said.

"It's all gone," he said.

His 200-year-old home, which he shares with his wife and two young step children, was singed on the outside but suffered no structural damage.

Campbell, who turned 56 the day before the fire, owns a compost business on the site in addition to other small enterprises. He said he hopes to replace most of his tools and at least part of the barn.

"It's probably not as much insurance as I would like to have on it, but I was insured," he said. "It will pay for a building adequate to continue on."

Campbell had been in the barn just moments before lightning struck a little before 10:30 a.m. Sunday. He was using a tractor to lead one of his four bulls free of a manure pile when Campbell saw the flash.

"A crack of lightning flashed in front of my face," he said. "My stepson saw the lightning hit the barn."

Campbell and his family went to work getting the animals, including pigs and chickens, out of the barn. Once they were safe, Campbell was able to save a rototiller and lawn mower before the flames became too intense.

Within minutes, the fire was spreading quickly. Heat caused a 100-pound cylinder of argon gas Campbell used for welding to explode. The force blew the tank out of the building and hit a hay wagon 100 feet away with enough force to bend the steel framing, Campbell said.

"One fireman almost got hit by it," he said.

But there were no injuries among the roughly 70 firefighters from six communities that responded to the blaze, said Chief Stan Labbe of the Litchfield Fire Department.

Firefighters had little chance of saving the barn, which was fully engulfed with responders arrived, so much of their effort was turned toward saving the house, Labbe said.

"We had to protect that exposure," he said.

It took a couple hours to get the fire under control and another hour after that before fire crews could head for home.

Campbell will muddle through without tools as he keeps his compost business afloat and continues with the haying projects he has lined up. Campbell also takes on small welding and fabrication projects--he had recently purchased a new welder--but those are on hold for now.

Campbell got used to running to the barn to grab the tools he needed to fix whatever piece of equipment had broken down. Now he has to rely on friends for space and tools and he is thankful for the offers that already have poured in since the fire.

"I've had all kinds of neighbors come and offer their garage and tools," he said. "One of my best friends showed up this morning with a brand new set of tools. It won't shut me down, it will just be difficult. I'm back at everybody's mercy right now."

Craig Crosby--623-3811 Ext. 433

ccrosby@centralmaine.com

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