Fire at Stous property does $300K in damage

A Friday afternoon fire that reportedly started in a tractor eventually spread to a nearby structure and caused more than $300,000 in damages, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.

At about 4 p.m. that day, area firefighters were dispatched to 21085 O Rd., about two miles south of Holton, for a tractor fire, according to Morse. The fire soon spread to a large equipment shed nearby, and the shed became fully engulfed only minutes later.

Firefighters from Holton, Mayetta, Hoyt and the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation battled the fire for more than an hour before bringing it under control, Morse said. Firefighters were on the scene until about 7 p.m., he added.

“The dark smoke from the fire could be seen for many miles,” Morse said. “The building contained farm machinery, building supplies and hay.”

Jackson County EMS and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the fire, it was reported. The property where the fire occurred is owned by Dean and Karen Stous of rural Holton, according to Jackson County documents.