Takin’ the fire to the firefighters

DOUBLE TROUBLE: Firefighters from Island City, La Grande, Cove and Union found themselves busier than they expected to be Wednesday, as they fought two fires at once on Buchanan Lane. A mutual aid call went out shortly after 10 a.m. for a shed fire (right) and as the firefighters were putting that blaze out, a truck pulled up hauling a burning load of hay (top). Both fires were snuffed, and no injuries were reported. JIM VOELZ / La Grande Rural Fire Protection District

Citizen notices his trailer load of hay ablaze, pulls up to another fire scene to have firefighters put out his cargo

Shortly after 10 a.m., firefighters from La Grande Rural Fire Protection District, the La Grande city fire department, and the Cove and Union departments answered a mutual aid call, teaming to fight the shed fire on Buchanan near McAlister Road.

The outbuilding was fully involved by the time the first units arrived. The firefighters went about the business of putting the blaze out.

In the meantime, Summerville resident Michael Myers was driving his pickup north on McAlister, pulling behind him a trailer loaded with four tons of hay.

As Myers neared the scene of the shed fire, he happened to glance into his rear view mirror. To his shock and awe, he saw that his hay was burning.

CHRIS BAXTER / The Observer

Spotting the fire trucks off to the left, Myers swung in. The mutual aid responders did double duty, putting out the hay fire while mopping up the shed blaze.

The shed and its contents were a total loss. Myers lost most of his hay, though the firefighters were able to save his trailer.

Larry Woldridge, La Grande Rural Fire Protection chief, said it all added up to an unforgettable day.

“The possibility of that happening was just amazing,” Woldridge said.

Jim Voelz of La Grande Rural Fire said it is believed wheel friction caused the trailer fire. No injuries were reported.