Barn fire sends Vernon man to hospital

VERNON -- An early Monday explosion left the owner of Horodyski's White Barn Farm suffering from third-degree burns after the barn caught fire.

The farm owner, Walter Horodyski Jr., 42, was injured during the fire in the 6900 block of Orangeville Kinsman Road at 9:30 a.m. while he was out working on one of his tractors, his sister-in-law, Donna Horodyski, said.

The over 200-acre farm houses a family owned business that raises organic grass and hay fed cattle, none of which were injured during the early morning fire.

One neighbor reported he was about a mile away at the time the fire began and reported seeing a trail of black smoke, comparing it to the images of smoke from the East Palestine train derailment earlier this year.

Donna Horodyski was one of the first to help Walter Horodyski to safety following the explosion.

For 45 years, she's lived on the property alongside her husband. When she stepped out of her home, she saw what she described as "billowing black" thick smoke pouring from the barn.

"He was laying out on the ground and I went to him to help bring him over to sit him in a chair and got the hose because it was hot and he wanted to be cooled off with the water," Donna Horodyski said.

Not too far up the hill from the fire, his son Aaron had rushed off his tractor to tend to his father and call the police. By the time he came down the hill, Donna Horodyski said the entire barn was engulfed in flames.

While the hose washed over Walter Horodyski, his sister-in-law said she just wanted to keep control and help him to remain calm, with firefighters coming not too long afterwards to provide assistance.

Fire departments responded from Brookfield, Kinsman, Gustavus, Fowler, Cortland, Mecca and Johnston, the latter of which transported the victim to the hospital.

Crews battled the blaze before getting it under control around 11:40 a.m., but crews stayed to begin an overhaul of the area around noon to ensure they looked over any potential hotspots that might rekindle. They also cleared the area of hazards.

All of the contents inside the barn, including equipment, was destroyed.

The Trumbull County Fire Investigation Unit was on scene to help determine a cause of the fire.

Speaking to Donna Horodyski a few hours after the fire, she showed a hat worn by Walter Horodyski. She said her brother-in-law loved wearing those hats and believes it might have helped save him from further injury. She said Walter is a former firefighter.

She said his eyebrows were singed, and the skin was burned off the back of his arms and his back. Walter Hordoyski first was rushed to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital before being transported to Akron Children's Burn Center in Akron.

She was able to update that he's in stable condition after a conversation with the victim's daughter, one of four of Walter Horodoyski's children.