Mutual Aid Benefits on Display During Liberty Fire

A machine shed fire in Liberty on Monday required multiple emergency crews to get the blaze under control and demonstrated the value of the mutual aid agreement between local fire departments.On December 15, at approximately 11:41 a.m., Barneston Rural Fire was dispatched to a report of a structure fire in Liberty involving an outbuilding at a residence. The initial report said a male party may be inside the structure, but they were confirmed evacuated shortly after the initial report. Wymore Fire was dispatched immediately as well per automatic mutual aid agreements. Barneston Engine 33 arrived on scene and reported a fully involved machine shed. The initial attack was defensive, applying water to the involved structure and cooling an adjacent residence located within 10 feet of the involved structure. Multiple hazards came into play with contents inside the involved building as well as propane tanks on the outside of the building that were compromised and on fire.As the fire progressed, the residence adjacent to the structure sustained damage and a small fire ignited in the wall closest to the main fire creating the first exposure fire, and about simultaneously a second exposure fire started on a separate structure used for storage located to the south of the main fire as firefighters noticed smoke coming from the roof line. Both exposure fires were located quickly using thermal imaging cameras and were extinguished, with the first exposure having minimal to moderate fire/heat/smoke damage and the second having minimal damage. At this time, roughly 1:30 p.m., Odell Fire was requested by Barneston Incident Command to bring their mobile air compressor for filling SCBA bottles and Bluesprings Fire was requested as mutual aid for manpower as firefighters on scene were becoming exhausted and stretched thin with the exposures and hazards they were attending to.Due to the close proximity of the exposures to the main fire, extensive mop up was performed to ensure a rekindle would not occur that would threaten the exposures. The property owners brought in a mini excavator and man lift to assist with moving debris so firefighters could cool down all hot spots and also to remove a tree that was on fire threatening the second exposure. Crews were on scene until 16:40, totaling five hours. Barneston Fire Responded with Engines 33, 49, Tanker 41, Brush 22 and 23, and Command 1.Mutual aid was provided by Wymore Fire with an engine, tanker, and brush truck; Odell Fire with a brush truck and the air compressor trailer; Blue Springs Fire with an engine and Tanker.Also providing support were Norris Public Power and the Gage County Sherriff's Office. Personnel at the scene included 35 firefighters.Barneston Rural Fire issued a statement, “We would like to thank all of our mutual aid partners who assisted. Large incidents take big teamwork and we are greatful (sic) to be part of such a great mutual aid organization.”

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