Explosion Precedes Blaze Which Claims Amish Family’s Canning Building
An Amish family in the Buchanan County, Iowa community (Hazleton) is likely breathing a sigh of relief after undergoing the misfortune of a property fire Thursday.
The relief would come from the fact that no one was hurt, and that their home mostly escaped damage. Four local fire departments contributed to the efforts to extinguish the blaze.
Apparently an explosion preceded the fire, according to neighbors, though it’s officially not known what caused the fire.
Perhaps a lighting implement is what exploded. Going by what I know is used elsewhere, this group uses pressurized lamps which burn kerosene or mineral spirits (essentially paint thinner), like the one you see in this photo taken in a related group in Kentucky:
More on the damage via the Oelwein Daily Register:
Staff on scene who talked with the Amish family said that the building was used for canning necessities and was storage for furniture as they renovated/built their new home.
Neighbors of the family came to assist and were able to remove some pieces of furniture to safety before it was deemed unsafe as fire spread.
Crews were able to knock down much of the building before it reached the main home, but it did result in minor damage. It took three hours to put out the fire.
As to the building used for canning necessities, it sounds like it may have been a space where they did their canning, or perhaps just stored canning-related items there.
Fairbank Fire Chief Chris West said that approximately 12,000 gallons of water were used. “With last night’s winds and all the dry material, we needed all that water.”
Thankfully no one lost their life here, which is not always the case. Great work by the fire departments as well as the sheriff and police responders.
The community at Buchanan County, IA is one of the largest in the state. It also is the origin community for one of the largest Amish affiliations, with dozens of settlements spread across the country (such as the Hillsboro, KY community noted above).
Amish house fires.
The few fires in our nearby Amish community have all been caused by the home heating system. Multiple fireplaces or wood stoves in a home seem to be just a matter of time before something goes wrong.