By Staff
Farm combine caught fire
By NIKIE MAYO, News Editor
A field fire Saturday afternoon in eastern Beaufort County drew responses from two sets of volunteer firefighters, but caused no major damage or injuries.
A Pantego farmer’s combine caught fire, then the blaze spread to his field near Loop Road. The farmer’s name was not released.
The Pungo River Volunteer Fire Department was the first one called to the scene. The Pantego unit was called later to provide a tank.
At 2:40 p.m., a page was sent out to members of the N.C. Forest Service, according to police scanner reports. The dispatcher said the forestry members should respond to “a field fire headed toward the woods.”
Shortly afterward, forest rangers were told to disregard the page, according to scanner reports.
Drier-than-usual conditions across the state have fire officials on keen alert. Earlier this month, a cornfield blaze just inside the Pitt county line in Grimesland had responders from four fire departments in Beaufort and Pitt counties.
No injuries were reported there, either, but firefighters worked for more than three hours to both get the blaze under control and douse hot spots.