A burning tractor resulted in firefighters from Gardiner and several surrounding communities springing into action to hold the line on a devastating fire Tuesday night, November 11. A massive amount of equipment, including several tractors, were lost along with a pole barn, but no injuries are reported and the farm stand on Route 208 was open for business Wednesday morning.
Meghan Boylan, a family member who was answering the phone Wednesday morning, was incredibly grateful that the 75 volunteers were able to keep the fire just to that one building. According to information released by Gardiner fire officers, when firefighters arrived just after 8 on Tuesday night, they “found a tractor fully involved in fire beneath an overhang of an approximately 80-by-100-foot equipment barn containing multiple pieces of heavy machinery. The fire had extended into the main structure and was venting through the roof.”
A ladder crew from New Paltz had been dispatched at the same time, pursuant to a response plan for that location, and another was called in from the Walden department. Personnel from 17 different fire departments came to assist, along with other first responders.
A statement released on the farm’s Facebook page confirmed that “a majority of our tractors, apple bins, firewood and much more burned to the ground,” but that both farm stand and brewery “are fully intact, as well as numerous homes on the farm.” However, to lose a majority of our farming equipment is a huge loss that we will be rebuilding from for years to come.”
Boylan said that no one was hurt, and that everyone is in “good spirits” at the farm. “We are a farm family, and we are looking to figure out what we can do next.” As noted in the published statement, they are still taking Thanksgiving pie orders and “every little bit of support helps.”
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