Churubusco and Huntertown fire departments were called to a house fire Saturday evening around 5:00 p.m.

The fire appeared to have started in the garage located beneath the brick home.

Firefighters arrived to find a large amount of smoke and fire coming from the front of the home. Wind and manpower may have hampered some of their efforts in controlling the 3-hour long fire.

No one was injured in the fire and the house receive heavy fire, smoke and water damage throughout.

Further information and photos can be found at buscofire.com or huntertownfire.com

Two people were sent to area hospitals Friday morning when a black sedan and a red Tracker collided at the intersection of 300 S and S.R. 9 just south of Albion.

Churubusco fire units were called to assist Albion Fire & EMS at the incident on the busy highway.

Thumbs Up…

…To the Hornes – Stan and Doris – who brought the Fire & Ice Festival to Whitley County, Indiana!

I remember, years ago, talking to Stan and Doris and they talked about a similar festival in Michigan that they attended and participated in every year. They said they would like to bring the same kind of event to our county.

They did – and what a popular event it has turned out to be.

They still continue to help chair the event and it’s become an event many people look forward to year after year. Thanks Stan and Doris, and to the many others who help organize this winter festival.

-Viv Sade & family, Churubusco

Stan and Doris (red and light blue coats) with Columbia City Mayor Jim Fleck receiving the Mayor's Proclamation of the 2010 Fire & Ice Festival.

The Fire and Ice Festival continues today and the sculptures will be on display around the Whitley County Courthouse in Columbia City – until they melt! Check out our video (below)  of the ice carvers at work.

Savannah, 7, poses as an Eskimo at the 2010 Fire & Ice Festival in Columbia City.

A carver prepares to sculpt a pig.

Amelia, 2.

A carver sculpts GFS (Gordon Food Service) into the ice block.

A hair dryer with a stream of "ice" wind made an eye-catching sculpture.

Doris Horne of Churubusco (light blue coat), one of the chairs of the Fire & Ice Festival, talks with a visitor at the festival Saturday.

Marlina poses next to her creation - a snowman holding a sign that says "Will work for freezer space." Very clever!

Stan Horne of Churubusco, second from right, instructs a carver at the Fire & Ice Festival in Columbia City. Horne, and his wife, Doris, were the original founders of the Whitley County winter festival.

COLUMBIA CITY MAYOR SIGNS FIRE & ICE PROCLAMATION - From left to right: Stan Horne, Event Organizer; Pat Hatcher, Chamber Executive Director; Doris Horne, Event Organizer; Linda Hyndman, Chamber Fire & Ice Committee Co-Chair; and Mayor Jim Fleck hold the Mayor's Proclamation for the Fire & Ice Festival. Not present for the photo was the Chamber Fire & Ice Committee Co-Chair, Teresa Ladd. (photo contributed)

Fifteen local vendors will showcase offerings, many of which are handmade in Whitley County. Snowman scarves and towels, hand-painted glassware, unique jewelry, knitted hand cuffs, woodworking, gourmet dog treats and wonderfully smelling lotions and soaps will offer a cure for your cabin fever.

In addition, Girl Scout cookies will be available for purchase and Etna United Methodist Church will whet the appetite with their delicious homemade chicken and noodles and sloppy joe sandwiches. Hot dogs, coffee and hot chocolate will also be available inside the toasty building.

Kid’s activities and the popular ice-cream eating contest can be found in The Center on Saturday as well.

A carver uses simple tools to complete a creative, complicated vision during the 2008 Fire & Ice Festival in Columbia City.

A sure highlight of the festival will be the ice carvers demonstrating their craft throughout the day on Saturday and then again from 12 to 3 p.m. on Sunday for the artisan competition.

For more on the Fire and Ice Marketplace you can visit the article by our news partner in the Whitley News Network, Talk of the Town at http://www.talkofthetownwc.com/.

Churubusco firefighters were called to the 400 block of North Line Street Thursday evening for a shed fire. Crews arrived to find a small garage on fire with reports from the home owners that their family pet was still inside the burning structure.

The fire is believed to have started when a heat lamp came into contact with items in the garage and caught fire.

Churubusco firefighters were called to a home in Noble County on 200 East at 7:30 p.m. for a house fire.

Crews arrived to find moderate smoke and fire inside the two story home.

The fire was under control in approximately 20 minutes, no one was injured but the home did sustain moderate to heavy smoke, fire and water damage.

The cause remains under investigation, but it’s believed to have started in the area of the chimney.

Fire crews had to pull a lot of insulation and ceiling from the residence to extinguish the fire

Top 10 Most Visited Stories for 2009

Want to know what everyone else was looking at or what attracted the most attention from our viewers? Below is the top 10 most visited stories from nearly 72,000 people this year.

ACLU sues Smith-Green Schools and principal on teens’ behalf

October 29, 2009
The American Civil Liberties Union has sued Smith-Green Community School Corp. and a principal in federal court on behalf of two girls punished for summer postings on MySpace.

Thursday afternoon crash leaves two teens dead

July 17, 2009
Two local teenagers lost their lives Thursday afternoon after losing control of their vehicle on 550E north of S.R. 205.

Distraught Parents Voice Bullying Concerns to School Board

May 7, 2009
Six parents – and their supporters – showed up to voice concerns about their children being bullied and treated unfairly at Churubusco High School.

Citizen speaks out on ACLU lawsuit – school offers statement – community in uproar

November 3, 2009
Robert H. Fleming, a longtime Churubusco citizen, spoke up during the public comment portion of last night’s board meeting at Smith-Green schools, stating he was upset that his tax dollars would go toward fighting an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit involving two teens who posted racy photos on an Internet social network site.

Is there life after meth? Not much, says woman who lives in former drug house

March 18, 2009
McCoy Sabatino is not a drug user, but she believes she, and her 14-year-old son, are suffering from secondhand exposure to methamphetamine.

Have a heart and help Tara Green

January 25, 2009
Friends and family have rallied to help 24-year-old Tara Green of Churubusco get the heart transplant she will so desperately need.

Teachers challenge security cameras in classrooms

January 7, 2009
Speaking on behalf of the teachers at Churubusco Schools, Mark Cheshire asked Smith-Green School board members Monday to vote no to the current installation of security cameras in classrooms.

Churubusco: A football town with a basketball problem

November 26, 2009
Churubusco is not a basketball town.  Mike McBride wants to change that.

Burton brother and three other carnival workers arrested

June 19, 2009
There’s been a lot of good news across the country lately on the Churubusco’s Turtle Days Festival and the 60th anniversary of the hunt for a giant turtle – but yesterday the news wasn’t so good.

Letter to the Editor: Excessive gambling, drinking in Churubusco?

March 31, 2009
I believe the gambling in Churubusco is outrageous!

Top 10 Most Commented Stories of 2009

Without comments BuscoVoice would be your average online news site. But it’s our visitors who make the site so intriguing to read and visit daily. Below are the top 10 most commented stories of 2009.

ACLU sues Smith-Green Schools and principal on teens’ behalf – 88 Comments

Churubusco: A football town with a basketball problem – 36 Comments

Distraught Parents Voice Bullying Concerns to School Board – 26 Comments

Thursday afternoon crash leaves two teens dead – 15 Comments

Is there life after meth? Not much, says woman who lives in former drug house – 14 Comments

Burton brother and three other carnival workers arrested – 14 Comments

Scribbles & Giggles: It’s so quiet with no children to torture … me – 9 Comments

School secretary honored for compassionate and caring attitude – 9 Comments

Intolerance and the President of the United States – 8 Comments

Dump Truck Rolls Over – U.S. 33 Shut Down For Hours -8 Comments

Churubusco firefighters were called to the intersection of 900 East and 700 North (Line Street at Noble/Whitley County Line) for a report of a barn fire Sunday morning.

Assistant fire chief Wayne Krider arrived to find a very large barn on fire with reports of large equipment and semi’s on fire inside the fully engulfed structure.

Crews from LaOtto and Albion were immediately called in to assist with water and manpower to extinguish the blaze. Later the Columbia City fire department was called in to assist with their ladder truck to reach the high peaks of the structure.

The barn sustained very heavy fire, smoke, heat and water damage. Much of the contents inside were destroyed or heavily damaged in the fire.

The fire was under control after a couple of hours and firefighters were on the scene for several more hours extinguishing hot spots and investigating the fire. At the time of press the cause of the fire was unknown.

If you’ve ever considered the idea of being a firefighter after watching Backdraft or Ladder 49, these firefighters would like to remind you it’s not quite like the movies.

The Churubusco fire department, LaOtto and Thorncreek recently ‘practiced’ on this house in northwest Allen County.

Firefighters gathered for a quick photo while the house continues to burn to the ground

Taya Walden says "Hello" while flames race over her head

This is the real deal here. No cameras. No fake smoke or graphic enhanced flames

Churubusco, Huntertown and Washington Twp. fire departments were called to the 12000 block of U.S. 33 near McDuffee Road Saturday morning for a possible basement fire.

Firefighters first entered the smoke filled home looking for the fire in the basement but ran into difficulties in locating the actual seat of the fire. Within a short time the conditions in the home went from bad to worse and the emergency crews rushed out of the home for their own safety.

Heavy toxic smoke began pouring from the home as crews rushed into the downstairs basement door to extinguish the blaze.

The house sustained heavy fire, smoke and heat damage throughout, the cause is still undetermined.

Firefighter Todd Shively was taken to an area hospital for an ankle sprain, while firefighter Joe Small was taken in for smoke inhalation. Two of the residents of the home were also taken in for breathing in the thick toxic smoke.

CHURUBUSCO, Ind. — The Churubusco Fire Department was sent to the 5800 block of Blue Lake Road near Timberlane Drive  Thursday evening around 11 p.m. for a garage fire.

Firefighters arrived to find the two garages engulfed in an inferno and the house was quickly catching fire.

Initial reports from residents of the home stated someone was still trapped inside the burning building. After several exhaustive searches, the missing female occupant could not be located.

At the time of press there was still no word on the woman’s whereabouts. The fire is still under investigation.

Video contributed

Churubusco firefighters kicked off the 2009 Fire Prevention Week Friday visiting and educating kids on the dangers of fire.

In years past the department has brought in equipment to show the kids and talk about fire safety. This year they added a new feature – a safety house borrowed from Noble county fire departments.

Children attending the classes were instructed on how to crawl low to the ground when smoke was in a room, how and when to dial 9-1-1, electrical hazards and how to be safe in the kitchen when parents are using the stove.

Firefighters Justin Snyder (left), Chris Tomlinson (right) & Jim Horne (inset)

Churubusco and Huntertown fire departments responded to a garage fire Wednesday afternoon in the area of Miller & Wesley Chapel Road, only to find the garage had been completely destroyed and it appears the entire property has been abandoned for some time.

The structure was entirely on the ground when fire units arrived and very little of the contents survived, including several cars, a pickup truck and a tractor.

The scene when firefighters first arrived

Churubusco fire and EMS units were called to Dogwood Lane and Blue Lake Road Saturday afternoon for a possible house fire.

Captain Shively then found the resident, Pat Beyer still inside the structure. After helping remove the resident from the structure the fire flashed over into the front of the structure and out the front door.

Emergency crews arrived shortly thereafter and found a large amount of fire and smoke pushing out of the windows and front door of the home.

Upon entering the firefighters found extremely heavy fire and smoke in two separate rooms, which hampered their efforts to contain the fire in the one story home. The fire was brought under control in approximately one hour. No injuries were reported. The home and much of its contents were a total loss.

The Thorncreek (Tri-Lakes) fire department was called in to assist with water and manpower and LaOtto fire department was called in for extra water supply.

The fire remains under investigation.

Photos by Chris Tomlinson

Firefighters prepare to enter the heavily involved home

Crews clear items from the home