Brown County firefighters responded to a hay barn fire at approximately 8:00pm Thursday night after a nearby resident smelled smoke and found his neighbor’s barn on fire.

Brownwood Fire Department crews arrived in the area of County Road 258, 10 miles southeast of Brownwood, to find the large metal barn containing hay and equipment on fire.

According to the neighbor, firefighters worked quickly to remove the equipment and save what they could. One firefighter removed a small Bobcat bulldozer from the barn, then put out the fire that had started on the seat, the neighbor reported.

Other departments including Early, Brookesmith, Zephyr and Winchell Volunteer Fire Departments arrived on scene to help battle the blaze.

According to the neighbor, all the fire departments worked very well together and kept the fire contained, keeping the blaze from threatening other neighboring properties and homes.

Fire crews cleared the scene shortly after midnight on Friday morning