By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

Hays, Kan. -Ellis County fire crews from Victoria, Hays and Ellis responded to the report of a barn fire late Tuesday afternoon at the 1200 block of 310 Avenue, west of Victoria and south of Interstate 70.

“The Kansas Highway Patrol was patrolling in an airplane and saw the fire and called it in,” Victoria Fire Chief Tom Tholen said. “We were paged out at 4:09 p.m. and got here in about four minutes and determined the barn was fully engulfed and started our attack at that time.”

According to Tholen, the fire was caused by an electrical short in a power line running to the barn.

“Sparks flew into the grass and the grass caught on fire and traveled to the barn,” Tholen said.

Tholen said the fire 125-year-old barn is a “total loss.”

The barn and land is owned by Jim Warren, Hays, who arrived on scene with friends to assess the damage.

Warren told Hays Post he and his family have plans to build a house on the land and will miss the barn, but the limestone walls will remain.

Family friend J.W. Antrim said he was sad to hear the news.

“We had always planned on refinishing the barn and getting it done, but it is what it is,” Antrim said. “I think it still can be rebuilt. … We still have the walls, that is the main thing.”