Virgil Fire Responds to Small Barn Fire During Snowy Conditions Wednesday

Around 1:30 in the afternoon, Virgil Fire says they were dispatched to a reported small barn fire at a residence on Nye Road. Due to the nature of the call, automatic mutual aid was dispatched to assist Virgil Fire from Cortlandville, Cortland, Dryden and McLean Fire Departments.

In a release by Virgil Fire, they say Cortlandville was the first responding department to arrive on scene and confirmed the structure fire with smoke showing all the way from Route 13. Virgil Fire arrived moments later along with the City of Cortland and then McLean Fire Departments.

The fire was quickly knocked down by firefighters, but Virgil Fire says another hazard occurred when live power lines to the house fell into the front yard. The house adjacent to the small barn suffered heat damage to the garage wall and to the electrical service box for the house. Firefighters checked for any type of fire extension to the house and ventilated the house for smoke.

The home will not be reoccupied until service wires and the electric meter have been replaced/repaired, Virgil Fire added. Mutual aid was released from the scene around 2:10pm.

An investigation into the cause of the fire found the fire likely started from a wood stove ashes that were discarded in close proximity to the shed and were not fully extinguished.

“Make sure your homes have working smoke detectors on all levels, and in each bedroom and/or immediately outside of your bedrooms and also have a working Carbon Monoxide detector.” Virgil Fire said in a release.

No injuries were reported as a result of the fire. Additionally assisting Virgil Fire was the Cortland County 9-1-1 Center and National Grid.