Local fire departments respond to hay fire

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[A grass fire ignited a bunch of bales of hay on Zion Church Road on Monday, March 2.

The residence of Alan and Ruth Wahlman was the site of the blustering inferno. The fire started at approximately 1:40 p.m. and was allegedly started by an extension cord that shorted out. This caused the grass to catch fire which spread to the bales of hay that were located nearby. The fire started near the silos on the farm and was spread by high winds which brought the flames into contact with the hay.

Frank Cane, the Wahlman's neighbor and caretaker, spotted the fire when he was driving past the farmhouse. He alerted Alan Eggemeyer, another neighbor, who quickly revved up his tractor and began to extinguish the flames with the blade of his machine. They did all they could until the fire departments showed up.

Members from the Chester, Ellis Grove, and Steeleville Fire Departments contributed in fighting the fire. The fire was completely extinguished within an hour and a half of its start time. No one was injured during the fire although the hay bales were a complete loss.