A 30 by 60 foot pole barn used as a garage and machine shop in rural Texico with a large number of items inside was destroyed by fire on Thursday.
Jefferson Fire reports the building on North Toll Road northeast of Field School was fully engulfed in flames upon their arrival.
The building is owned by Kenneth Hays and was leased to Christine Brown.
There was no one inside the building at the time the fire began. All the contents were also lost, including a four wheeler, welder, and go carts.
The cause of the fire has not been determined. An investigation is underway by the State’s Fire Marshal’s office.
The initial firefighting effort was from the City of Mt. Vernon’s new aerial truck. Once the flames were knocked down the rest of the fire was put out with hand lines.
The fire call came in at 9 am. Firemen were on the scene for about an hour and a half.
Jefferson Fire received mutual aid on the scene from Woodlawn, Mt. Vernon, Bluford, Wayne City, Kell and the Centralia Fire Protection District. Benton and Ashley stood by at the Jefferson Fire station in the event of another fire.
