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Feature Stories (Vol. 110 No. 6--2/06/2008)

Horses, barn and shop lost in blaze

Lehmans told of fire by son in Wisconsin

By Caroline Downs

A late afternoon fire on Thursday destroyed a steel building and calving shed at the Leonard and Sharon Lehman farm south of Kenmare near the junction of U.S. Highway 52 and North Dakota Highway 50.

The Kenmare Fire Department responded to the incident at 5 pm January 31st with 12 volunteers and three engines. According to Kenmare fire chief Cameron Bartuska, the Donnybrook Fire Department was already on the scene with their pumper truck and tanker, as well as five or six men, when the Kenmare group arrived.

"The building was engulfed when we got there," Bartuska said. "It was just billowing black smoke. We tore down the overhead garage door to get the building ventilated. Then we could see where the fire was at so we could get to it."

The Lehmans were not at home when the fire broke out. The couple left about 11 am that day to run errands in Kenmare before heading to Minot. However, Nora Rasmusson of Kenmare was traveling along Highway 52 Thursday afternoon and noticed the fire in the Lehmans’ farmyard. She made contact through OnStar with Minot Dispatch, which then notified the Kenmare Fire Department.

In the meantime, Rasmusson called her son in Grand Forks who is a friend of the Lehmans’ son in Green Bay, Wisconsin. "We knew about the fire within ten minutes," said Sharon Lehman, describing her surprise at hearing of the incident first from her son in Wisconsin. She also called the fire department.

The Lehmans were still taking inventory and estimating their losses on Monday. Burned in the fire were the 25’ x 42’ steel shop building and a 28’ x 42’ wood-covered steel calving barn. "They shared a common wall," said Sharon Lehman.

Also destroyed were hay bales stored in the calving barn and two young registered Quarter horses housed there. A 2000 GMC 3/4 ton pickup parked in the shop awaited review by an insurance adjustor, but Sharon Lehman said it couldn’t be operated. However, the 2004 6420 John Deere loader tractor did run, despite its exposure to the fire.

"When Leonard and Sharon came home, Leonard ran into the shop, started the tractor and drove it out," Bartuska said. "That tractor was just black. It was unreal!"

Sharon Lehman said Gooseneck Implement has the tractor and will determine the extent of needed repairs. "The tractor actually runs," she said. "It looks like they took spray paint and sprayed it black. Even the windows are so black Leonard couldn’t see out of them."

The firefighters worked until 9:30 pm. Kenmare Ambulance and Ward County Sheriff’s Deputy Pat Lenertz also responded to the call. "That’s an impressive group," said Sharon Lehman. "When we got home, everybody was working and they knew what they were doing. They did a good job."

She noted Burke-Divide Electric Cooperative immediately sent a crew to restore power to the house and other buildings.

Despite the damage, the Lehmans were relieved no one was injured and that the firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the two structures. "The yard is not very big in there," Sharon Lehman said. "Ten feet from that shop stand two 1,000 gallon propane tanks. We could easily have lost the house."

The Lehmans believe the fire started from some type of electrical problem, although nothing appeared out of the ordinary to Leonard Lehman when he did chores at 7:30 am that day. The couple is grateful for Rasmusson’s quick response and the thorough response from the emergency crews. "It went fast, and there was a lot of help," said Sharon Lehman. "Everybody worked to get us as normal as we could be."