NEWSOMS

At 3:41 p.m. on Tuesday, the Newsoms Volunteer Fire Department, along with the Boykins Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad, were dispatched to a reported cotton picker on fire.

According to Newsoms VFD Chief Jonathan Hinson, crews arrived on scene 10 minutes later to a cotton field near the intersection of Statesville Road and Cross Keys Road, finding smoke from a cotton picker and a pile of cotton on fire in the field. Crews were able to quickly bring the cotton picker fire under control by 3:59 p.m., and the fire in the field under control by 4:06 p.m. Crews continued to work the scene until all fire was completely extinguished.

Firefighters work to control the fire in the field.The accidental fire started in the basket on the cotton picker that stores the harvested cotton. The quick-thinking operator dumped the cotton to the ground once the fire was noticed and used an on-site water tank to control the fire on the cotton picker until fire units could arrive and completely extinguish the fire. There was minor damage to the cotton picker that can be repaired, but the cotton in the machine at the time of the fire was a complete loss. Total estimated damage is approximately $4,300.

Approximately 20 volunteer firefighters responded to the scene from Newsoms and Boykins Volunteer Fire Departments with three engines and a brush truck. No injuries were reported from this incident.