PLYMOUTH, Ind. (WNDU) - It was too close for comfort on Sunday evening when Lyle Samuelson heard a knock at the door of the Plymouth home he’s lived at for almost 70 years.
“I went to answer it and looked through the living room windows and saw the milk house had flames coming out through the roof of it already,” described Samuelson.
911 told the longtime homeowner that dispatchers had already received a call about the fire on his property located in the 7000 block of Queen Road. Samuelson said he then tried to move farm equipment out of the way and turn off electricity and LP gas to the barns before first responders arrived sometime around 7:30 p.m.
It took five fire departments to control the fire that destroyed four buildings: a milk house, milk parlor, pole barn, and a large barn that was reportedly built in 1910.
“Growing up with it [my] whole life, helluva landmark,” an emotional Samuelson said of the old barn.
Lyle and his brother raise cattle. Thankfully, none died, but there was a frightening moment in which nine of the animals were trapped inside a barn.
“One of the neighbors, they got all of them out, so there was no livestock killed in it,” Samuelson noted.
These grain farmers also took a hit, as a lot of the hay and straw inside the big barn is now unusable.
“It’ll cause some issues over the winter,” he added.
In the meantime, Samuelson is doing his best to move forward, but he’s not doing it alone.
“You start realizing how many people - friends you may not realize you have - that reach out to offer help,” he said, “even if you don’t think you need it or like that, but there are a lot of people offering help.”
Plymouth fire officials don’t believe foul play is a factor in the fire at this point.
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