NORWICH – The Chenango County 911 Dispatch Center was inundated with phones calls reporting a growing grass fire along County Rt. 32 in the Town of Norwich Tuesday.
The Norwich Fire Department responded to the brush fire at 3:32 p.m. at 6159 East River Road and discovered several trees, a collapsed barn and about half an acre of farm field engulfed in flames.
Chief Tracy Chawgo said the cause of the fire is still under investigation, but crews suspected debris escaping from a nearby burning trash barrel to be the culprit.
“Our first concern when we arrived was containing the fire,” said the chief. The brush fire burned less than 50 yards from Horstman’s Trailer Park in the Town of Norwich, he explained.
“We go through this twice a year, at the beginning of summer, with people cleaning up their lawns and the dry weather. Later in the fall, we’ll see the same kind of thing,” said Chawgo.
No injuries were reported as a result of the fire and crews had to compete with strong winds in putting out the blaze. The North Norwich Fire Department provided mutual aid and the New York State Forest Rangers also responded. Crews remained at the scene for more than three hours.
Chenango County Fire Coordinator Matthew L. Beckwith reported that the 911 call center received a number of calls about the fire, ranging from reports of several trailers being on fire to callers saying it was a grassfire.
Smoke could be seen pouring over county Rt. 32 more than a quarter of a mile from the fire’s location.
Beckwith said people are always encouraged, when they are going to burn debris, to call the Chenango County Fire Control Center at 334-5380 before and after the burn is completed.
