Tractor Fire in Bird Island Township

On Monday afternoon at 1:47, the Renville County Sheriff’s Office received numerous 911 calls reporting a tractor fully engulfed in flames in a field adjacent to Renville County Road 14, about two miles north of Olivia in Bird Island Township.  Callers were unsure whether or not the tractor was occupied. 

The Olivia Fire Department, Olivia Ambulance Service and Renville County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched. Upon arrival at the scene, emergency personnel noticed that the burning tractor was connected to an agricultural sprayer and the boom was resting on a power line.  The burning tractor was unoccupied and its owner and operator, 59-year-old Michael O’Halloran of Olivia, was present at the scene. 

Investigation of the fire revealed that O’Halloran had been operating the tractor and sprayer when the spray boom accidently came in contact with an energized power line.  O’Halloran received an electrical shock inside the tractor, but was able to escape before the fire began and grew out of control.

O’Halloran was transported to Olivia Hospital & Clinics by the Olivia Ambulance Service for evaluation.  Crews from Renville-Sibley Power Cooperative also responded and were able to de-energize the power line, which allowed firefighters to extinguish the fire.  The tractor was a total loss. Agencies responding to the scene included the Renville County Sheriff’s Office, Olivia Fire Department, Olivia Ambulance Service, Renville-Sibley Power Cooperative and Olivia Police Department.