A Christmas eve fire destroyed a hay shed on the Greg Wegscheid farm just east of Staples and south of Highway 10.

The fire was first spotted by Ken Christensen, Jr., who, according to Shirley Wegscheid, called 911 and drove into the yard to alert the Wegscheids about the fire.

Greg Wegscheid reported he had been outside blowing snow just a half hour before the fire was reported and did not see anything.

The Staples Fire Department responded around 3 p.m. to the fire scene three miles east of Staples. There were no animals in the hay shed but about 76 large round bales of hay, approximately 50 tons, were destroyed. Also destroyed were a Farmall M tractor, a horse drawn manure spreader, a sleigh and other horse equipment.

No one could place a cause for the fire. Fire Chief Scott Braith said there was electricity to the building. The large bales of hay had been stored there for the past three months with no indication of any bales heating up, Wegscheid said.

Firemen removed most of the burning bales and spread them out in an open area to try to get the fire out. Wegscheid reported the bales were still smouldering on Monday afternoon.

The Wegscheids said they very much appreciated the work by the fire department and the assistance given them by friends, neighbors and especially Christensen’s alerting them to the fire.

“It was bad but we’re just glad nobody got hurt. The hay can be replaced, but not a life,” Greg Wegscheid said.