Clearview, Ont., fire crews battled a large straw bale fire northwest of Stayner during the early morning hours of Wednesday.
The blaze is under investigation, but Clearview fire chief Roree Payment said it’s believed the fire was started by a possible lightning strike.
“We had four apparatus and about 15 firefighters on the scene for six hours,” Payment told Global News.
“We were called just after 1 a.m.”
According to Payment, the value of the straw is about $20,000.
The straw was being stored after it was purchased and was awaiting transport by the new owner, Payment said.
“There was an excavator that was parked about 15 feet away from the pile, so crews were able to stop the excavator from catching on fire until it was moved by the owner,” Payment said, adding that at that point in time, firefighters surrounded the blaze with fans to try and increase its oxygen flow.
“We essentially tried to burn it up then as quick as we could to minimize the impact to any neighbours.”
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