Mount Pleasant, Iowa – On Wednesday at 11:02 a.m., the Mount Pleasant Fire Department was dispatched to the Midwest Old Threshers grounds following a report of a fire at the historic blacksmith shop.
Upon arrival, fire crews found smoke coming from inside the wall of the building.
Members of the Old Threshers board had been conducting routine lawn care and burning weeds near the blacksmith shop earlier in the morning. After moving to another part of the grounds to continue landscaping, they returned about 45 minutes later and noticed smoke emerging from the structure.
Before the fire department arrived, quick-thinking volunteers sprang into action. They attached two garden hoses together and began dousing the flames, helping to slow the spread of the fire.
Mount Pleasant firefighters then worked for approximately 40 to 45 minutes to fully extinguish the fire around 11:50 a.m., and ensured there was no remaining heat or hidden flames inside the walls. Thanks to the combined efforts of volunteers and fire crews, damage to the blacksmith shop was minimal.
With the annual Midwest Old Threshers Reunion just weeks away, the incident adds unexpected work for the Old Threshers crew. However, organizers remain confident that the blacksmith shop will be repaired and fully operational in time for the event.