Veteran knocks out one of two Wednesday fires
Published 12:10 pm Thursday, October 10, 2024
LOYD STAR — Smoke could be seen in the air from two separate grass fires in the Loyd Star community Wednesday afternoon. No one was injured although one of the fires caused damage to a trailer and a shed.
Loyd Star, New Sight and Zetus Volunteer Fire Departments responded to two fires in close proximity around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday. One fire burned on Bennie Trail where a grass fire spread to a trailer, shed and tractor as a veteran firefighter worked to knock it out.
Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency Director Chris Reid said the cause and origin of the Bennie Trail fire is unknown.
Loyd Star Volunteer Firefighter Emile Gennaro, a volunteer for 15 years, said the fire was burning a wall of the trailer when he got on scene along with a shed and tractor. He said the first concern was the home.
While enroute to the scene, dispatch advised dogs were in the trailer but someone else had gotten them out by the time he arrived.
“I put the fire on the wall out and got there in the nick of time. Once I got it out, I put out the shed and tractor and then the yard,” Gennaro said. “First priority was putting the dwelling out. Once I knew it was okay I started on everything else and then the yard. It was a good adrenaline rush for a little bit.”
Loyd Star reported Gennaro used 300 gallons of water to extinguish the blazes.
Just down the road, a second fire burned a patch of pine timber and a utility right-of-way off of Hilltop Lane. Aside from young trees, nothing was damaged in the Hilltop fire. The cause and origin of the fire was pretty easy to determine. Firefighters on scene pointed out a dead tree which fell on the line and had ignited the blaze.
Gennaro said there was some confusion with the two fire calls. He thought he was working the same fire and firefighters didn’t realize there were two different fires burning. Both fires were extinguished by 3:30 p.m.
“It worked out okay,” Gennaro said.
Several friends got Gennaro to join Loyd Star’s Volunteer Fire Department a few years ago.
“I was just trying to help out the neighborhood. Some friends of mine I knew invited me to a meeting and I joined and have been with them ever since,” Gennaro said. “I enjoy doing it and would like to see more younger people get involved.”
Lincoln County is served by eight volunteer fire departments and dedicated volunteers are always needed. Contact the Lincoln County EMA office to learn more about how you can help your community at 601-833-8561.