Barn Burns But House Saved in Friday Fire

Schulenburg Volunteer Fire Department put out a barn fire on Friday, Jan. 13, at the old Clifford Besetsny place just north of Schulenburg on US 77.

The fire call went out around 11:30 a.m. Schulenburg Fire Chief Jeff Proske said the fire started in a woodworking shop inside the barn. Proske said a local craftsman had been working in the shop that morning. However, no one was at the property when firefighters got there.

Proske said the barn was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. SVFD responded with seven units including an engine, a tanker, and three grass trucks along with about 20 firefighters.

“There was going to be no saving the barn, unfortunately,” Proske said. “The wind was blowing from the north, and we were worried about the fire spreading.” The burning building started a small grass fire, but Proske said firefighters contained it before it got out of control. A beautiful old farmhouse that’s now a bedand- breakfast stands just 30 to 40 feet away from the barn. But Proske said the north wind kept the flames away from the home and it escaped unharmed. The Schulenburg firefighters extinguished the last flames and left the scene around 2 p.m.