By Steve Bradley
The Nolan farm at Post Corners (corner of County Route 68 and Lincoln Hill Road) in White Creek lost the older part of a barn when fire raced through dry wood and hay.The call was broadcast at 8:45 Thursday evening, February 15 for many departments from New York and Vermont.
Upon arrival first responders found a two story barn in flames with Larry and his son Buddy Nolan trying to get all the animals away from the danger. According to Buddy they were able to get all the cows and pigs out and in the end, “We might’ve lost a chicken.” Several of the cows and pigs were prize winning show animals.
The older part of the barn, which was rebuilt in 1944, was quickly and completely destroyed. With good work by firefighters, the newer single story barn that was added onto the old barn was saved, with the exception of the very end where the two barns were attached.
A good water supply from a nearby creek was available and water was trucked in from the White Creek near Walker’s farm and transferred into a folding frame tank at the scene.
The hay stored in the barn was very difficult to deal with. Firefighters had to tend to it as it smoldered and burned throughout the night. Many firefighters were there all night Thursday and were called back Friday around 4 pm when hay rekindled. A backhoe was used to spread the hay around a nearby area. The hay would smolder with heavy smoke then ignite into fire when the wind would pick up. Finally, after the backhoe got the hay separated and spread around, firefighters used fire-fighting foam to extinquish the hay.
Departments responding to the call included White Creek, Easton, Shushan, North Bennington, Hoosick, North Hoosick, Shaftsbury, White Creek, Hoosick Falls, Cambridge and probably others. No injuries were reported.