Firemen put out Raymond fires

RAYMOND - Raymond fire fighters had to battle two blazes simultaneously on Friday night when fires broke out at an abandoned farm building west of town and shortly after, at the Minnesota Valley Alfalfa Producers plant in Priam.
The blaze at the MnVAP facility destroyed anywhere from 700 to 800 or up to 1,000 round bales of hay.
The fire at the vacant, farm grain building was reported around
11: 20 p.m., according to
Raymond Fire Chief Kraig Kienitz. Fire fighters received a second call at 11:40 p.m. to respond to the fire at MnVAP.
Some of the volunteers stayed at the abandoned grain building fire and contained it, while the remaining force responded to the MnVAP blaze.
Chief Kienitz said they called in assistance from the Pennock, Prinsburg, Willmar and Clara City Fire Departments. Both manpower and water tankers were needed to help contain the blaze.
The Raymond fire fighters remained at the MnVAP fire scene until around 6 a.m. Saturday. MnVAP employees kept a vigil on the still smoldering hay through both Saturday and Sunday.
The fire is believed due to spontaneous combustion, and burst out in large, round bales stored outside of the MnVAP processing facility.