A Mattoon fire destroyed a Crittenden County man's barn and hay Thursday.Bud Pierson of Ky. 654 North was burning a pile of junk when the wind took over and the fire spread, burning 57 bails of hay along with his barn. The fire was called in shortly before 1 p.m., but when the volunteer firefighters arrived at the scene, the blaze had spread beyond the barn and threatened the surrounding fields and a home about 75 yards away.
Firefighters said that an electric fence surrounding the barn could have helped in speeding up the destruction of the barn as it was completely destroyed before they could put out the fire.
Members of the Crittenden County and Mattoon fire departments were on the scene, and said they would have to remain there for at least several hours. Meantime, they called in a backhoe to create a fire break to prevent the fire from spreading into adjacent fields.
