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DAMASCUS --No injuries were reported and the cause was undetermined after a combine caught fire in a field north of U.S. Route 62 on Monday, catching part of the field on fire, too.
Damascus Fire Chief Derek Day said John Stamp was operating the combine on the property at 13946 Salem Alliance Road and when he got to the end of the field, he started to turn and noticed a small amount of the field on fire that he had just combined. He moved the combine into another area he had just combined after seeing that the combine itself was on fire.
"He did a really good job keeping it contained," Day said.
The area was located near some woods and about 3/4 of a mile off the road, accessible only by fire department brush trucks. Fire departments on scene included Damascus, Beloit and Salem. Damascus received the call at 2:46 p.m. and responded with Beloit, Salem was called for mutual aid at 3:04 p.m. with its brush truck.
The monetary damage was estimated at $12,500 and Day believed the combine was insured. He said it was a total loss.
While there, Damascus was called to a brush fire in the area of Meadow Wood Drive and U.S. Route 62 and found a case of open burning close to the road. Winona was also called to the scene. Damascus put the fire out and advised the people involved about the burn ban in place right now in Ohio.
According to the ban, no open burning is permitted outdoors from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in October, November, March, April and May and that includes the burning of yard waste and trash even in burn barrels.
"If we get called out, we're most likely going to put it out," Day said regarding incidents of open burning.
He noted that this time of year during the burn ban, everything is dry, which makes it more susceptible to fire. Add in some wind and things can get out of control.
"We always tell everybody to use common sense when they burn," Day said.