Corn crib destroyed by arson

A corn crib on an abandoned farmstead northwest of Polo was destroyed in an early morning arson Oct. 8.

"The state fire marshal determined that it was arson," Polo Fire Chief Tony Karrow.  "There was no electricity to the building, no gas, and no vehicles or anything else inside that could have started it. The only way it could have started was if someone set it."

The corn crib, at 14252 W. Canada Road, was owned for many years by the late Letitia Wisner, Polo, who bequeathed it to Pinecrest Community, Mt. Morris, when she died earlier this year.

Karrow said Pinecrest assumed possession of the property on Oct. 4.

He said the fire was reported at 12:47 a.m.

An Ogle County deputy was the first to arrive at the scene and found the building fully engulfed in flames.

Mt. Morris, Dixon Rural, Oregon, Leaf River, Forreston, Milledgeville, and Sterling Fire Departments and Advance Ambulance were called for mutual aid.

Karrow said a house formerly on the property was destroyed by arson approximately 10 years ago.



"The barn burned a couple of years before that, but that was accidental," he said.