Smoke from Central Point barn fire seen across the Rogue Valley

Central Point, Ore. — A barn fire Monday morning sent a large plume of black smoke into the air over the Rogue Valley. Around 11:30, fire crews were called out to Newland and Truax roads to investigate.

According to Jackson County Fire District Three spokesperson Ashley Blakely, emergency personnel already in the area reported the barn was engulfed in flames.

“Central Point Police and Mercy Flights were in the area already, and were able to confirm the structure was fully involved,” Blakely said.

NBC5 News spoke Tom McVey, who lives next door. He says it all happened very quickly.

“All of a sudden just saw this big black smoke, and I said, ‘uh oh, his barn is on fire,’ and it was pretty much on fire, I mean the whole thing, and his truck was already on fire,” McVey said.

Crews put out the fire quickly, but McVey knows from experience the work is far from over.

“My barn burned down in 2003, so I’ve been through a barn fire before,” McVey said. “You gotta clean up the mess, you gotta get all the insurance stuff.”

Neighbors say two horses that are usually kept inside the barn were seen safe out in the field. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.