IU SOUTHEAST — A field caught fire near Orchard and Grove lodges on March 17 as gusty winds spread smoke to some parts of campus.

Shortly after 5 p.m., witnesses reported flames and smoke approximately 100 feet from campus property. Residents stood outside and watched as the firefighters worked to extinguish the fire.

The flames rose from a three-acre field across the railroad tracks between Sam Tech and Big O Tires. The field sits adjacent to Park East Boulevard, located in the New Albany Industrial Park.

Keith Baumann, facilities manager for Sam Tech and an IUS alumnus, was leaving for the day when he saw the field was on fire.

“I saw the smoke and flames and, shortly after, heard the sirens,” Baumann said.

Brian Gadd, New Albany Fire Department battalion chief, said the fire started from a riding lawn mower cutting grass on the property.

“The grass got caught up in the exhaust and caught fire, and the winds didn’t help,” Gadd said.

The owner of the lawn mower service, who said he didn’t want to be identified, was responsible for mowing the field. He said he was about halfway done cutting the knee-length grass when he noticed a problem.

“I saw a spark and smoke and tried stomping it out, but I couldn’t put it out,” he said.

The fire burned about an acre before it was put out.

The mower said he comes out to mow this field about two or three times a year.

Monica Wise, IUS Police sergeant, stood in Magnolia Parking Lot — the area in front of Grove and Orchard lodges — as the fire burned.

“I’m here to make sure the fire doesn’t come across the railroad tracks,” Wise said. “It has come across the tracks [to campus] before.”

Wise said there was a fire in that field a few years ago, but that fire had spread beyond the railroad tracks and caught some IUS property on fire.

“It was in the same area,” Wise said. “We called in Physical Plant that time and just had to pour water on it to put it out. It wasn’t anything big, but it was burning on our side of the tracks.”

Wise said the current fire is not likely related to a report earlier in the week of someone hitting golf balls from IUS property into that field across the railroad tracks.

By LEAH TATE and JOSEPH DEVER

Features Editor and Senior Newspaper Editor

lmtate@umail.iu.edu and jwdever@umail.iu.edu