A barn owned by Gerald Beran Jr. of Odin burned down this past weekend. The Barton County Sheriff’s Office reports that at approximately 1:44 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 25, at 1014 NE 140 Rd. near Odin, a cattle processing barn became fully engulfed with flames. Claflin Fire/EMS and Beaver Fire Department both responded and were able to contain the fire.

The fire was apparently triggered by a faulty lawn mower that had just been placed inside the barn beforehand, although the exact cause is yet to be determined, the BCSO reports. No other structures were threatened and no persons or animals were inside the barn at the time of the fire.

Doug Hubbard, fire chief for Claflin Fire District Number 1, described the barn as a large metal that was fully engulfed when units arrived. Chief Hubbard reported that the fire was controlled quickly and no other structures damaged, though the shed was a total loss along with the farm equipment that was inside. Fire units remained on-scene until approximately 3:30 p.m.