Precinct 4 barn blaze cause points to backhoe
By SHARON KERR

MEMBERS OF THE Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms division sift through the rubble trying to determine the case of the fire that destroyed the Jasper County Precinct 4 barn last week.The fire is estimated to have caused more than $1 million in damages. Pictured below, investigators search near a backhoe for the cause of the blaze.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is continuing its investigation of the fire that burned down Jasper County's Precinct 4 equipment barn Jan. 29, according to County Judge Mark Allen.

Allen said forensic teams from the county's insurance company and from Ford Motor Company will jointly investigate as soon as they can coordinate their schedules, probably not before next week.

Ford is involved because New Holland is a subsidiary of Ford, and the brand new B-95 backhoe is now the center of the investigation, according to Allen.

Precinct 4 Commissioner Vance Moss said the backhoe only had about 10-12 hours in ser- vice. It was used the day of the fire, parked at around 3:30 p.m. in the afternoon, and the fire was reported at 6:15 that night. Preliminary reports indicate the blaze started in or near the cab of that piece of equipment.

"The building was one of the oldest in the county," Moss said. "It had an old rounded heart-pine roof, that leaked so bad that some years back the county put a tin roof on top of that."

Once the fire reached the roof, it had an ideal environment and plenty of dry fuel to completely consume the building and contents. The barn was a total loss, along with trucks, tractors, welding equipment, supplies and the office. Early estimate was more than $1 million in damage.

"The county is maintaining 24-hour security at the site," Allen said, "and we will continue until the forensic teams complete their investigation and ATF releases the scene."

Allen said if it turns out to be a manufacturing defect, the county would get 100 percent reimbursement.

Moss said Precinct 4 is back in operation with the remaining equipment and help from other precincts.

"The community really pulled together for us," Moss said. "We had people donating file cabinets and stuff two days after the fire, and all the fire departments were a big help, too, getting everything set up so we could get back to business."

WORKERS CLEAR debris from the Jasper County Precinct 4 barn.

Moss had only been in office 29 days, but he had worked for retired commissioner Mack Rose for years.

"We had everything just the way we liked it, in the office and the barn," Moss said. "What I really miss and can't replace is my rolodex."