Kell Firemen battled two combine fires on Saturday.
The first was in a cornfield near the Kell and Buchanan Road intersection in rural Texico. Kell Fire Chief Lonnie McDaneld says crop residue built up around the engine became hot and caught fire.
The combine is owned by Brad Pinkerhouse of Bartelso The fire was mostly confined to wiring in the engine causing an estimated $4,000 to $5,000.
Assistant Chief Jason Franke says the combine was in use at the time of the fire and those using it were able to put out spot fires in the cornfield to prevent the blaze from spreading into the field.
The second fire was in a combine parked for the night in a field near Route 37 and Kell Road. A passerby noticed it and called in the fire. The fire was confined to the engine and cab area, but the combine owned by Shannon Hays of Kell is believed to be a total loss. The combine had been used to harvest soybeans earlier in the day.
Franke says the cause of the fire has not been determined. The fire call came in at 7:49 pm with firemen on the scene until 10:15 pm.
