A sad day on the farm

[Yanmar J]

Man, I'm sorry for your loss. Hang in there.

My brother in law, Mike Nickels, had an 11,000 square foot shop and old car museum. He made his living for the last 50+ years restoring woodie station wagons for people all over the world. He had patterns, NOS mechanical parts, a museum of rare bits related to the cars and several restored cars worth a 100K plus. The whole thing burned to the ground. The insurance company flew in an expert who concluded the fire was started by a Li tool battery. It started on the bench where he had a line of chargers of different brands with batteries on them.

The loss was huge. He only had $100K of insurance.

Seeing his pain, I get at least some appreciation for what your going through.

Everyone has said everything, and I am with them all. I too had to start over back in 1985. Won't go into detail but all I had was a 12-year-old car and everything that fit into the trunk. Didn't have nearly as much as you but today I have much more than back then and better things. You will go through many sadder moments as you go through the rubble and pick up each thing with memories, but I assure you, you will get through this. Hang in there and remember all the good people that have replied. We ALL feel with you. May the good Lord help you through this and remember HE is with you.

 

[Modrob]

Sorry for your loss. I know what you are going through. It was one lightning strike about 12 years ago that took my barn to the ground along with everything in it.

Since then, have you realized any changes that might have prevented or lessened your loss? And if you rebuilt, what did you do in hopes of preventing the chance of that again? I think there’s a wealth of information that can come from this post, and just might stop another potential loss from happening to others.
I remember in the early 70s our family moved to country—nice farmhouse situated up on a high hill. It had these interestingly looking 3 lightning rods spaced across the ridge of the roof. Summer thunderstorms could get wicked and lightning would usually connect with these frequently. I can’t describe how it felt or sounded (other than LOUD) but sitting in the kitchen sometimes when it would connect, a bright flash/spark could be seen jumping from a low outlet. I guess those rods must have saved the house many times, only to later suffer a nearly total house fire when a coal furnace sent embers through a faulty flue and into the walls…

 

[Little Red Tractor]

Just saw this. So sorry for the losses.

 

[mslisaj]

Such a sad sad story!! I have a 3600 sqft shop behind my house and while the building is easy to insure in itself the contents are impossible as it's 98% tools and equip that have a $10K limit. I'm glad to hear that what ever insurance you have that you will be alright except for the "one of a kind" items. Good luck sir and I hope in the cleanup you do find some saveable nuggets of precious things.

 

[Kschwennsen]

Sorry to hear that bud. I had my shop collapse under a couple feet of snow and it took the better part of a year to just put a roof back up. I still had lost my first car, my wife's car, lawn mower and countless other things. I had to pack my tools up and store them until the new roof was up and like you, had to do most of the rebuild myself as insurance didn't cover replacement costs.

I built it back way better than it was (still in process 8 years later) and way more useful. Hang in there!

 

[dkmc]

The insurance company flew in an expert who concluded the fire was started by a Li tool battery. It started on the bench where he had a line of chargers of different brands with batteries on them.

Very sorry for the OP loss. I just went out and unplugged all the battery chargers.

 

[jonathansfather]

Some of you may remember what I went through building my pole barn that turned into my giant man cave. It was my place away from home that I spent many hours in playing with all my toys. I had all my most sacred things that I had gathered over my life time. All my machines, two lathes, my mill, all of the tooling, my Bickford 21" Super Service, 2 more drill presses. Three welders, Dynasty 300, millermatic 252 and an older miller AC/DC buzz box and all the stuff that went along with my welding shop. I never realized how much stuff I had in that building until I started going through the rubble. I never thought about how much in dollars I had laying around. In just different clamps and vices I have found over $7,000.00 in the rubble. It hasn't been too hard to find things because I had everything in there own spaces, plumbing, electrical, AC, hydraulic stuff, test equipment, welding equipment and consumables all had their own little spot in the shop.

One of the hardest things I have had to deal with was all my civil war relics, my native american artifact, bottle collection and my fossil collection. it's hard to lose stuff I have spent a lifetime collecting but all my books for the different habbits, my research papers and recording books that took more time to do than the actural collecting itself.

Everything was gone in less than 2 hours from the time it started to when there was nothing else to burn. In the end all that is left is the siding and roof metal and what's few 6x6 post that are still standing. One of the firemen that was here told me that in 20 years of fire fighting this was the hottest fire he had ever been to. That huge trolly beam system I built and was so proud of now looks like a big pertzel still hanging from it's upright support beams. Anything aluminum or copper was turned to liquid, every where you look there are piles of melted lead, aluminum and cooper parts that were once motors, tools or anything else that was made of these metals.

After a little over a month I have finally gotten the go ahead from the insurance co to start clean up and that will be a giant under taking in itself. I have enough insurance to cover most of the contence except my historical items but The way insurance work it you only get a certain percent of the amount of what it would cost to bebuild the the house itself. I already know there is not enough in that part to cover the cost of what I had so I'll have to do all the clean up just like I built it to begin with by myself. It probably will take the better part of a couple months to get it all cleaned up so I can start over.

Brother. If I remember correctly, you shared some pictures and I believe I communicated with you about that trolley beam system. I extend my deepest sympathies to you for your tremendous and overwhelming loss. Nearly four years ago, on January 28, 2019, my old 24' x 24' galvanized farm shop caught fire about 6:45pm. By the time the local VFD got here, nothing was left. About $10K damages to the old 1971 Jim Walters farm house which sits close by. My tools--some dating back to 1979 when my wife and I started housekeeping--were mostly destroyed as was small equipment and a whole bunch of building supplies I'd been pickin' up at Goodwill, auctions, and yardsales for nearly 4 decades, some family momentos that can't be replaced. Adding insult to injury, the man we was buying the farm from on a land contract had failed to contact the insurance company nearly 7 years earlier to inform them of the contract, which meant that nothing of my personal property was covered. Didn't even get a sorry from him. After more than three years in court, and still paying him monthly for the farm, I ended up having to give him all the insurance money AND pay off the loan he'd neglected. Got the farm in my name now, but the house damages still not repaired, the shop still not rebuilt, and just a pile of rusty, brown metal I been looking at for nearly 4 years. In this time, though, I've picked up about most everything I lost, piece by piece, secondhand, and hope to rebuild a shop this spring/summer/fall. I'm a Civil War buff also. I pray that the good Lord up in Heaven will help you rebuild and reacquire some things you cherish. Just be careful cleaning up. The worst part of my shop fire was my wife of now 43 years stepped on a rusty nail amongst the debris, didn't get proper medical treatment, and almost died in the hospital from massive sepsis. She also has permanent stage 3a kidney damage. I was real bitter at that man and his a-hole insurance company for most of the last 4 years, but have of late rested in the fact that "Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord; I will repay." Lex talionis to all who do wrong, brother, lex talionis.

 

[Fxfymn413]

I am also very sorry to hear about your loss. I spent over 35 years as a volunteer and career firefighter, including a stretch in the Fire Marshal's office so I have seen this scenario many times.

While a lot has been focused on the insurance aspect of the loss I did not see anything about what can be done to prevent or at least limit the loss. This is not meant to be critical as most folks are just not aware of what can be done and it should not be construed as a criticism of anyone who has suffered a loss.

First and foremost it is critical to install some type of early detection system in the building. Most shops are detached from the dwelling and can be a considerable distance away from the dwelling resulting in a very substantial start for the fire before it is discovered.

A monitored detection system can be installed for less than $1000.00 and monitored for around $25.00 per month. While smoke detectors are not feasible in this type of occupancy other types of detection devices such as heat detectors can be used. They are not as effective at detecting incipient incidents, but a well designed system will sound the alarm in an unoccupied building well before it would be noticed from the outside. This is especially important at night and when the property is unoccupied.

Even if a land line is not in place, most alarm companies offer a cell based system as well.

The alarm system will also serve as a burglar alarm as well. Just remember a thief takes a few things, a fire takes everything.

There are more elaborate and expensive protection options such as a fire sprinkler system, but they are generally not a practical solution for most folks because of the cost. But, if you can afford it, and the items in your building are of a high value, it is certainly worth considering.

Last, but not least you need to be concious of fire safety. Keep the shop clean, dispose of rags and trash in metal cans, and clean up spills. If you have been welding or cutting make it a habit to go back to the shop before you go to bed that night and check the shop for signs of a fire.

Oily chips from machining metal have been known to ignite from spontaneous combustion. The same with oily rags, so dispose of them properly.

I pull the batteries from the charger before I leave the shop.

 

[RandR10]

Some of you may remember what I went through building my pole barn that turned into my giant man cave. It was my place away from home that I spent many hours in playing with all my toys. I had all my most sacred things that I had gathered over my life time. All my machines, two lathes, my mill, all of the tooling, my Bickford 21" Super Service, 2 more drill presses. Three welders, Dynasty 300, millermatic 252 and an older miller AC/DC buzz box and all the stuff that went along with my welding shop. I never realized how much stuff I had in that building until I started going through the rubble. I never thought about how much in dollars I had laying around. In just different clamps and vices I have found over $7,000.00 in the rubble. It hasn't been too hard to find things because I had everything in there own spaces, plumbing, electrical, AC, hydraulic stuff, test equipment, welding equipment and consumables all had their own little spot in the shop.

One of the hardest things I have had to deal with was all my civil war relics, my native american artifact, bottle collection and my fossil collection. it's hard to lose stuff I have spent a lifetime collecting but all my books for the different habbits, my research papers and recording books that took more time to do than the actural collecting itself.

Everything was gone in less than 2 hours from the time it started to when there was nothing else to burn. In the end all that is left is the siding and roof metal and what's few 6x6 post that are still standing. One of the firemen that was here told me that in 20 years of fire fighting this was the hottest fire he had ever been to. That huge trolly beam system I built and was so proud of now looks like a big pertzel still hanging from it's upright support beams. Anything aluminum or copper was turned to liquid, every where you look there are piles of melted lead, aluminum and cooper parts that were once motors, tools or anything else that was made of these metals.

After a little over a month I have finally gotten the go ahead from the insurance co to start clean up and that will be a giant under taking in itself. I have enough insurance to cover most of the contence except my historical items but The way insurance work it you only get a certain percent of the amount of what it would cost to bebuild the the house itself. I already know there is not enough in that part to cover the cost of what I had so I'll have to do all the clean up just like I built it to begin with by myself. It probably will take the better part of a couple months to get it all cleaned up so I can start over.

That's terrible news. I know from having moved my shop cross country and having to sell a lot of the heavier pieces and then replacing them just how hard it can be to replace some things. Like you said, you don't really know how valuable what you have is until you don't have it any more. At least you can say nobody was hurt, and that's what's most important. You also have good insurance to cover most of the financial loss which is huge. I wish you the best of luck in rebuilding.

 

[ovrszd]

I agree with a couple posters in regards to things to be learned from a thread like this. I shared my loss here on TBN too. Just seems like the right thing to do.

Insurance is the most important thing to study in these incidents. Everyone has a different opinion in regards to insurance and it's value. I have a simple for me rule. If it would cause me financial burden to replace something I make sure it's fully insured. Being under insured is very close to having no insurance. I only had $15K insurance on my shop building. I spent $40K replacing it. I'll never make that mistake again. Anyone, in any situation can purchase proper insurance. If under insured or not insured it's my fault.

Cause of fire. I agree with comments about shop "organization". My shop was too small for what I was trying to do in it. So it was "cluttered". Better said, "full". 12 years later I still don't know what caused my fire. I can only speculate. There were 7 engine powered electric start vehicles in my shop. Potential cause could have been one of those. I built my shop and wired it. Electrical short of some kind could have been the cause. I had a wood stove in the shop. Stove fire could have caused the fire. I only thought about that for a couple days. When I couldn't clearly answer the question I quit asking. It didn't matter.

I followed the OP's build thread when he constructed his shop. I read every post. I enjoyed watching him enjoy building his dream shop. I was heart broken to see this thread. I have complete confidence that he will rebuild. Men like us need a shop. It's good for our Souls.