VBT’s old barn at Riggs Heritage Park burns on Thanksgiving

By Rosemary K. Otzman
Independent Editor
The old barn at Riggs Heritage Park at the corner of Martinsville and East Huron River Drive in Van Buren Township burned on Thanksgiving morning.
The fire was first called in at about 1:30 a.m. and fire crews stayed until 5:30 a.m., with one crew staying overnight to make sure nothing outside the barn was burning.
VBT Fire Chief Dan Besson said the hay in the barn and debris was expected to smolder for a few days until it burns itself out or they can get a backhoe in there to sift through it.
Chief Besson said the metal roof collapsed and covered everything, making access difficult and that is why it continued to smolder throughout the weekend.
He said mutual aid came from Belleville for an engine (since VBT’s Engine 2 was out of service), Sumpter Township for a brush truck, and Augusta Township for an off-road ATV.
“We were very appreciative of the help that morning considering the holiday,” Chief Besson said.
Besson said it wouldn’t be cost-effective to do what would be a lengthy investigation into the cause of the fire, especially since the building is owned by the township.
The big barn and brick house on the Riggs property were part of the property given to VBT for a township park by the developers of Country Walk Planned Residential Community.
A park restroom and walking trails have been built on the southern part of the donated acreage. The house has had hazardous materials professionally removed and then was boarded up and fenced by the township.