Fire interrupts wedding
—Photo by ELAINE SANDMAN<br>Aerial support drops fire retardent to prevent a fire started from a hay truck from spreading across Highway 95.
By ELAINE SANDMAN
Staff writer
A truck loaded with hay melted to slag Friday Aug. 18 when the hay caught on fire on Hooten Hollow Road near Highway 95.
North Bench Volunteer Fire Department was preparing for the wedding of two of the department's firefighters when they were called to the scene of the vehicle fire. When crews arrived on scene, they found flames pouring out of the hay.
As firefighters battled the fire, flames ignited the gas tank causing an explosion and sending debris into adjacent fields.
To help with the fire, NBVFD Chief Rick Deaver requested mutual aid.
Boundary County Sheriff Greg Sprungl and his deputies arrived and secured the scene with help from the public.
Fire engines, water trucks and brush trucks from area volunteer fire departments surrounded the perimeter of the fire to contain the blaze. After conferring with Deaver, Idaho Department of Lands incident commander Steve Jamsa requested planes and a helicopter to drop water and fire retardent.
Once the fire was extinguished, NBVFD returned to their interrupted wedding.