Cow Palace/Beef Barn Roof Collapses in 3 Alarm Fire at the Fairgrounds

Credit: Jennifer Clark

The Greenville City Fire Department responded to the Darke County Fairgrounds at 7:45 p.m. on December 27, 2013. Upon arrival, crews found the Cow Palace/Beef Barn fully engulfed in flames. The fire spread to the milking parlor and a small office building. No other buildings on the Fairgrounds received any damage.

3 alarms were dispatched to fight the fire. 11 fire companies responded to the scene as-well-as 5 medical units. In addition to the City of Greenville Fire Department, responding units included Greenville Township Fire, Liberty Township Fire, New Madison Fire, Union City Fire, Arcanum Fire, Union City Rescue, Greenville Township Rescue, and Arcanum Rescue. Units from Ansonia Fire and Versailles Fire were manning the Greenville Fire Station in the event of another fire call within the city.

Firefighters employed defensive firefighting operations due to the extent of the fire and the potential for collapse of the bowstring truss roof structure. The fire companies’ crews were quickly able to get the fire under control and keep it from spreading to other nearby buildings. The wooden roof structure of the building was the main source of combustible materials which partially collapsed during the firefighting operations.

One firefighter was evaluated on the scene for a possible medical issue and one firefighter was transported to Wayne Healthcare for evaluation. He was treated and released.

Personnel form the City of Greenville Fire Department, City of Greenville Police Department, and the Ohio Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating the cause of the fire. No damage estimate is available at this time.