Fire Destroys Shed

On July 15, 1988 at 4:37 p.m. firefighters were dispatched to the George Willis farm on Willis Road, North Newton Township for a field fire. As apparatus were approaching they were advised that a barn was also involved and the box alarm was struck. The farmer was bailing straw when bearing on the bailer overheated and caught straw on fire. The fire quickly spread to a shed and other farm machinery. Firefighters were able to protect the nearby house and barn but not before several acres, a grain wagon, two other sheds and hay wagon were either destroyed or damaged. A dog tied up in one of the sheds perished. Firefighters from eight companies had the blaze under control in 30 minutes and remained on the scene for 1-½ hours. Damages were estimated at $5,000 to $7,000. The Newville South Newton, Vigilant Hose, Newburg Hopewell, West Pennsboro, Cumberland Valley Hose, West End Fire and Rescue and Penn Twp fire companies answered the alarm.

Firefighters from South Newton, Penn Twp., Newville and Vigilant Hose also answered an auto accident on I-81 at milepost 33 at 5:24 a.m. WEFR assisted Fayetteville on an AFA on Cumberland Highway at 10:49 a.m. At 11:09 a.m. WEFR responded to an auto accident at 2064 Roxbury Rd. At 12:46 p.m. CV’s assisted other Franklin County companies on a reported building fire on Anthony Highway, Guilford Twp. At 2:22 p.m. the Vigilant’s Hazmat unit responded to an incident in Mechanicsburg. Then at 5:55 p.m. WEFR handled a transfer to Co. 49’s quarters. At 7:36 p.m. the Cumberland Valley Hose Company responded to a dumpster fire at College Park apartment. And at 9:59 p.m. firefighters finished off a busy day when WEFR and Vigilant’s answered an auto fire on I-81 at exit 9.