Fire sirens sounded and smoke filled the area along Old Baltimore Pike in London Grove Township late Thursday afternoon as a front-end loader on a mushroom hay wharf burned.

The West Grove Fire Company was dispatched for farm equipment on fire off of Lake Road at approximately 4:40pm. The WGFC responded with Engine 22-1, Rescue 22, Engine 22-3, Engine 22-2, Tanker 22, both ambulances and fire police. A large plume of black smoke was very evident as units left their stations, with reports of a loader on fire, adjacent to a building and piles of compost hay burning.

On arrival, units found a well involved loader with fire spreading to the hay nearby, but no spread to the adjacent building. Engine 22-1 dropped a supply line at Lake Road and proceeded to the fire scene some 1300 feet up the hill. Rescue 22 then laid a supply line east on Lake Road, with Engine 22-3 completing the lay to the hydrant at Raymond Avenue. Nearly 3,000 feet of supply line was utilized. Meanwhile, crews on Engine 1 deployed multiple handlines to extinguish the loader fire and the nearby hay that was burning.

WGFC fire police had Lake Road closed during the incident, with the local railroad notified due to supply lines laid across the train tracks on Lake Road. WGFC units were on scene for approximately two hours, with extensive cleanup of hose at Station 22 after clearing the call.

The WGFC was also dispatched for an auto accident at 6:10pm in the Borough of West Grove. This was handled by an engine from Station 24 which was on standby during the fire. Our thanks to the Kennett Square Fire Company for the cover assignment.