Fire and Rescue Teams Save DeBoer Dairy Barn

Kevin Schuelke, fire chief of Milbank Fire and Rescue, said the Corona Volunteer Fire Department used “big water” to stop the spreading of flames from a barn fire on the Paul DeBoer dairy farm north of Corona on March 15, at 1 p.m. Schuelke said, “This is something first-on-the-scene departments can do if mutual aid of additional water supply is on the way.”

Schuelke stated, “A large shed connected to the main barn was totally engulfed and the fire had progressed to the enclosed alley connecting that structure to the main barn.” But, by employing this technique, “the Corona team’s response ‘rocked’ and stopped the fire from advancing to the main barn.”

When Milbank and Wilmot firefighters arrived, they aided Corona in suppressing the fire and provided water shuttle service from all three towns. Milbank and Wimot firefighters were on the scene for three hours. The Corona crew remained to monitor for flare-ups.