Anti-rust spray hits electric fence, triggering barn fire

Staff report

A cattle farmer's effort to protect his barn from rusting went terribly awry with a fire destroying the building and its contents.

Six fire departments battled the fire Monday afternoon at the David Corriher property at 3640 Brown Road.

John Morrison, chief of the West Rowan Volunteer Fire Department, said Corriher had hired a company that sprays metal roofs and sidings of barns and sheds to prevent rust.

"I don't know what they mixed with the paint, whatever it was, it was pretty flammable," Morrison said.

Just as the crew began spraying, the spray hit an electric fence running from the barn around a nearby pasture.

"They hit the fence, it arced and ran in on the hay," Morrison said.

The fire spread quickly to an estimated 50 large, round bales of hay stored in the building.

An estimated 45 firefighters from West Rowan, Atwell, Locke, Cleveland, along with Wayside and Shepherds from Iredell County, worked to put out the fire.

A track hoe was brought in to spread the hay out to make it easier to extinguish.

The barn, including some cattle handling equipment and Corriher's entire stock of winter hay, was destroyed.

The paint crew told Corriher that the company they work for had insurance.

Morrison, a veteran of nearly 30 years in the West Rowan Department, said this type of fire is new to them.

"Bostian Heights had the same deal nearly a decade ago," he added.

Morrison encouraged anyone using contractors or trying to do a spray treatment to make sure electric fences are turned off.