Barn fires burn around 5,000 pounds of tobacco
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on September 7, 2016 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Firefighters work to clear tobacco out of one of three tobacco curing barns that caught fire late Tuesday night on Glenn Jones' farm at 1547 N.C. 55 West. Smith Chapel, Mount Olive and Dudley Fire Departments responded to the call at 10:48pm after Smith Chapel Fire Chief John McClenny saw the fire while driving down the road. The tobacco in the barn pictured was scheduled to come out earlier that day
A fire Tuesday night at 1547 N.C. 55 West caused farmer Glenn Jones to lose roughly 5,000 pounds of tobacco that was being stored in curing barns.
The fire happened some time between 9 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.
When reached by phone this morning, Jones said his aunt alerted him to the fire in his tobacco barns.
"It just caught on fire some time between 9 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.," Jones said. "My aunt called me and said, 'Your barn's on fire.'"
Jones said three out of six tobacco barns he has caught on fire Tuesday night.
Smith Chapel, Mount Olive and Dudley Fire Departments responded to the fire at 10:48 p.m. Tuesday when Smith Chapel Fire Chief John McClenny saw the fire while driving down the road.
"One barn caught and the caught the other two on fire," Jones said.
Jones said this morning that he was searching for some barns to use for tobacco he still has in his field, and that he does have crop insurance to help reimburse the losses incurred from the tobacco barn fire.
"I'm searching for some barns to use up right now," Jones said.
He also has some other crops planted that he can use to help sustain his income while the losses from the tobacco barn fire are recuperated, he said.
"I've got some corn and beans," Jones said.
"I'm not sure what else, I've not really thought about that this morning."
McClenny said Tuesday night he was not sure what caused the fire to start in Jones' tobacco barn.
All three fire departments that responded cleared the scene around 1 a.m. Wednesday.