Arson suspected in Sumner barn fire

Six pigs belonging to the Sumner High School FFA were killed when a fire last week burned to the ground the old barn in which they were been housed.

The fire is being investigated as suspicious.

The barn, located on land owned by Mayor Dave Enslow was home to the animals as well as approximately 150 bales of hay. Enslow called the barn a “total loss” and estimated in a press release the loss at nearly $25,000.

According to East Pierce Fire and Rescue, firefighters responded to reports of a fire in the 5600 block of Parker Avenue at around 9 p.m. July 9. Firefighters arrived to find the barn fully involved and though they quickly extinguished the blaze, firefighters spent several hours tamping down hotspots in the burning hay.

The Pierce County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the blaze and the property is currently posted with arson signs. Enslow said while it is not impossible for relatively fresh hay to spark a blaze after it is baled, the hay in the barn was more than three years old.

“There was nothing in there that should have caused a fire,” Enslow said, adding that the loss was “very sad,” especially for the students who lost animals in the fire.

“It’s a loss to the community and a loss to the high school,” he said, noting that he had donated the barn for the school’s use, but because the barn was not insured, it will probably not be rebuilt.

Anyone with information on the fire is asked to contact the Sumner Police at 253-863-6384.

East Pierec firefighters this past week also battled a grass fire in the median of State route 167 that burned approximately 200 yards of grass. The fire broke out at approximately 3:30 p.m. July 10 about a quarter-mile north of the State route 410 interchange. Fire crews were on the scene for approximately one hour, closing one lane of traffic in both directions.

That fire is also being investigated.

Brian Beckley can be reached at 253-826-3260, ext. 5052, or brian.beckley@sumnerreporter.com.

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