The Kell Fire Department was called to handle a large grass and woods fire and storage building fire at the same time Tuesday afternoon.
Kell Firemen were on the scene of the brush fire at Baseline Road east of Heritage Lane in extreme southeast Marion County when they received the alarm about the building fire about 20 miles away in the far western part of their district.
Mt. Vernon City Firemen on their way to cover the Kell Fire Station because of the large brush fire spotted the heavy black smoke in the sky from the building fire and were diverted to it. The fire was on the Kay Crooks property at 1128 Meyers Road. The blaze had already engulfed the older brick building with a basement used for storage. The building was destroyed. The cause of the fire is listed as undetermined. The closest homes 60 to 70 yards away were never threatened, but the blaze did spread to about a half acre of woods before it was put out.
Kell Firemen called additional mutual aid from Salem, Iuka, and the Centralia Fire Protection District. Odin and Centralia City Firemen covered the Kell fire station in the event of another fire.
Meanwhile, the brush fire on Baseline Road covered approximately 15 acres before being brought under control. It began when a property owner was burning out a creek line that got out of control. Orchardville and Jefferson Fire were called for mutual aid assistance.
The brush fire was reported at 12:15 Tuesday afternoon, with the building fire call followed at about 12:45 pm.
