Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD —The recent heat spell and dry weather that has held the area in its grasp for the last few weeks is taking its toll on the grasslands and firefighters of Springfield.
On Saturday, in the wake of 15 and 25- mph winds and high temperatures of around 99 degrees, fire protection agencies from across the area responded to 16 different calls.
At the largest of those, a 24-acre grass fire near Peabody Road north of Prathersville and west of Route 19, burned out of control for an hour before it was contained. Paramedics treated at least five of the 35 firefighters called for heat exhaustion, said county fire Chief Debra Schuster.
Three more of the heavily clad firefighters were later hospitalized for heat exhaustion and two of those had to be helicoptered to Springfield Hospital. The three were treated and released later that same day.
Dennis Sapp, fire captain of Station No. 1, said a trash fire probably started the blaze at Peabody Road. The blaze endangered nearby
property and farmland but was extinguished before anything but grass was burned.
Schuster said fires like the one near Peabody Road had been starting all day, especially in the northern part of the city and county. Schuster said some of the fires could have been the work of an arsonist, but careless burning is more likely.
“We don’t have any evidence there is an arsonist,” Schuster said. “We sure hope we don’t have someone running around starting fires on purpose, but there is that possibility.”
Photo caption: (see above) This is an image taken at night of the fire near Peabody Road outside of Springfield.
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