Fire destroys machine shed, causes $450,000 in damages

Feb. 20--MOUNT UNION -- A fire Tuesday afternoon at a farm in rural northwest Des Moines County destroyed a machine shed, causing about $450,000 in damage to the building and its contents.

Bob and Freida Vantiger, 22728 240th St., escaped injury in the blaze on the farm where Bob Vantiger, 76, had spent most of his life, his son, John, said Wednesday.

The couple's home and several adjacent buildings, some holding tractors, combines and other farm machinery, were not damaged in the blaze that took volunteer firefighters from six area fire departments more than two hours to bring under control.

"We were lucky because when the fire started, the wind was blowing from the south away from the house," John Vantiger said. "But about the time it was all over, the wind had switched and was coming from the north. ... If it had been coming from that direction when the fire started, it could have caught the house on fire."

John Vantiger said the shed contained a wide range of tools, a tractor, a truck and dozens of other items the family used in their farm operation that involves more than 900 acres.

"It's been tough for my dad because the shed is kind of like his second home," Vantiger said, adding the building contained a variety of tools his father obtained over the years. "He doesn't like television, so he spent a lot of time out there. About everything we depend on for farming was in there."

He said the building, a 60-foot-by-100-foot metal structure, was worth about $150,000, and the contents he valued at about $300,000.

"We have insurance, but you can't get back all the things you've had and loved your entire life," John Vantiger said, as he choked back tears while staring at the charred remains Wednesday morning. "There were a lot of memories in that shed. The one tractor that was destroyed, my dad had most of his life."

Robert Vantiger, who is in ill health, and his wife were not available for comment Wednesday. John Vantiger said he told his parents to stay inside their residence because there was nothing they could do to assist those who were surveying the damage.

The fire is one of many rural blazes volunteer firefighters have had to battle this winter in southeast Iowa. In many cases, the structures, including residences, were engulfed in flames by the time fire crews arrived on the scene.

John Vantiger said that was the case Wednesday. It took volunteer fire crews about 15 minutes from the time they were dispatched to arrive at the scene.

"They tried to put it out, but it was already going pretty good," he said. "Water wasn't a problem because they had a lot of tankers (respond to the scene). ... They did a good job of keeping it away from everything else."

Vantiger said he and his father had just finished removing snow from the driveway and areas surrounding numerous buildings on the property, including the shed.

"I had put the truck and tractor back in the shed and went home about 4:30 p.m.," said Vantiger, who lives about three-quarters of a mile from his parents' home. "Then, my mom called and said smoke was coming from the shed."

John Vantiger said he got back into his vehicle and was on his way back to his parents' home when he saw smoke coming from the roof of the shed. He said it was shortly after 5 p.m. when he dialed 911 to report the fire.

"We really don't know what caused it, but I believe it started around the truck or tractor because the fire started in the area where we had parked them," said Vantiger, who also is a volunteer firefighter with the Yarmouth Fire Department.

He said when he got back to his parents' home, he tried to open the door to the shed but was stopped by the growing blaze. That's when he realized he needed to move two 1,000-gallon propane tanks near the machine shed.

"We hooked some chains on them and used my truck to pull the tanks away from the shed," he said.

By the time firefighters arrived from Yarmouth, flames could be seen shooting from the roof. In addition to Yarmouth, fire crews from Danville, Mediapolis, New London, Mount Union and Winfield responded to the blaze.

The last group of firefighters "cleared the scene" about 11:30 p.m., Vantiger said.

Vantiger said the tractor destroyed in the fire was especially difficult to see.

"My father had that little tractor most of his life," he said, adding relatives took his mother and father to a home a few miles away while firefighters fought the blaze Tuesday night. "We didn't want them standing here watching it. It was too tough on them."

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