By Mary Drier
Staff Writer
CARO — Fire departments responded to a fire at Organic Bean and Grain Inc., 1795 Akron Rd., Caro, again Friday morning.
“This is the second time we’ve been here for a rekindle since the original fire,” said Akron Fire Chief Marv Hasso at 9:15 a.m. from the scene about six miles north of Caro.
Besides the Akron Fire Department the Caro Fire Department also responded.
Eleven fire departments responded to the original fire that was called in by a passerby about 19 p.m., Sunday. During the original call, firefighters were in scene for about seven hours.
“It has smoldered on an off since Sunday, with a couple of rekindles,” said Hasso. “It looks like the fire started near the milling area near the top of the barn.
“The exact cause of the fire not been determined yet.”
Hasso along with an insurance adjuster have been trying to investigate the scene but have not been able to because it is still active.
“The barn and equipment inside are a total loss,” said Hasso. “I would say it’s in excess of a $1 million loss.”
Organic Bean and Grain is owned by fourth generation farmers, brothers Mark and Steven Vollmar, and their wives Dawn and Shelley respectively.
Although fire was a blow to the company, the family remains positive because no one was hurt, and they “can always rebuild.”
In the meantime, the company will try to keep its 15 employees working as much as possible at their two other locations.
Mary Drier is a staff writer for the Tuscola County Advertiser. She can be reached at drier@tcadvertiser.com.