Drought Ends In Flooding
07/12/2005
The drought of 2005 came to an abrupt halt Friday evening when 5 inches of rain came down in a matter of a few hours, leaving roads and basements flooded. This created serious problems for residents and the Churubusco / Smith Twp. Fire Department was called to several incidents. More...
Fatal Mobile Home Fire
10/04/2005
One person died and a second was injured in a mobile home fire at 9:42 p.m. Tuesday at Edgewood Estates mobile home park, 5330 Goshen Road.
Firefighters from six departments arrived to find the home engulfed in flames, an Allen County Sheriff's Department report said. Washington Township, St. Joe Township, Southwest Fire District, Churubusco Fire, Huntertown Fire and Arcola fire departments were at the scene. More...
Charter Oak Church Fire
11/15/2005
Tuesday night at approximately 7:30 p.m. thunderstorms moved through the area and the Churubusco / Smith Twp. Fire Department was dispatched to a lightning strike with possible flames visible at the Charter Oak Church.
Firefighter Darrell Resler arrived and found flames venting through the east end of the building fanned by strong winds out of the west. He immediately coded it a 704 working structure fire. More...
Fire Destroys Home
12/10/2005
An early morning fire destroyed a home in the 400 block of South Main Street. Two residents asleep inside were unaware of the fire until a neighor alerted them to the emergency.
Fire crews first arrived to find heavy smoke and flames pushing out the front door of the residence. Their efforts were hampered by multiple ceilings and rooflines. More...
explosion and fire destroys barn, propane truck
12/04/05
"It was like dynamite - the whole barn moved," said neighbor Dulana Blanscett, as she described the second of two explosions that wracked a storage barn Friday afternoon.
Blanscett heard the first blast approximately 3:30 p.m., then called 911 to alert the Churubusco / Smith Township Fire Department. She then witnessed the second explosion rock the structure and the huge flames that followed.
Fire Chief Kris Bair said a firefighter who lives nearby came over almost immediately to size up the situation at the barn, located at Van Andel Indiana Propane at 6480 North 650 East. By the time he arrived the barn was fully engulfed in flames.
A second neighbor banged on the door of the house not far from the barn, urging Gidget Pressler and her son to get out.
"I had no idea there was anything going on until they came and got me," Pressler said. "At first I thought my husband was in there."
Presslers husband was located elsewhere a short time later. He is the manager of the propane business.
The barn was used to store auction items for Presslers business, Churubusco Auction. However, a large propane tanker truck was also garaged in the building. The roof had collapsed onto the truck and firefighters were worried for a time that someone else may have been inside.
To complicate matters, there was still propane gas leaking from the trucks tank.
Bair called for a tow truck to pull the truck out of the barn, but the effort failed. A bigger wrecker made to haul semi tractor-trailers then arrived and successfully pulled the disabled truck out while firefighters doused it with water.
Firefighters could then determine that no one was inside the barn at the time of the fire. However, Smith Township firefighter Brent McCoy was taken to an area hospital for a possible allergic reaction or inhalation of irritants while fighting the blaze.
The cause of the explosions and blaze is still undetermined, and the Whitley County Fire Investigation Team was called to handle the case. But the barn and everything in it was deemed a total loss.
"I guess you could say that Churubusco Auction is closed until further notice," Pressler said. Nevertheless, she is thankful that no one was seriously hurt.
"It's bad when you think your husband is in there and you watch it explode," she said tears welling up in her eyes.