Nicole Goldsworthy
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
SaskToday.ca
Melfort firefighters had to divide their resources between two emergencies Sept. 29 after a field fire west of Beatty and a vehicle collision were reported just six minutes apart.
The Melfort Fire Department was dispatched at 4:25 p.m. for a reported grass fire west of Beatty, Fire Chief Leonard Whitney told SaskToday.
As firefighters were loading trucks for the response, a second call came in at 4:31 p.m. for a collision involving a pickup truck and a semi on Highway 41A.
With two incidents unfolding at the same time, Whitney said firefighters quickly reorganized equipment and personnel so crews could respond to both.
Five firefighters responded to the fire with Engine 223 and Command 221.
Whitney said a combine had swung around and struck a power pole, knocking it down. The downed power lines sparked a fire in the stubble and the flames spread into a small nearby bush.
The power lines also caused several hot spots on the combine, according to Whitney. Firefighters extinguished those hot spots before tackling the fire in the bush.
Once SaskPower disconnected the electricity, firefighters were able to extinguish the burning power pole and complete their work at the scene. No injuries were reported. Whitney said firefighters were back in service at 6:22 p.m.
At the same time, another six Melfort firefighters responded to the Highway 41A collision with Rescue 221 and Tanker 221.
Whitney said a pickup truck and a semi had collided after the pickup pulled out in front of the semi. The pickup ended up in the ditch.
Firefighters established traffic control and used the jaws of life during the response, Whitney said. The pickup’s lone occupant was transferred into the care of emergency medical services.
Crews also disconnected vehicle batteries and cleared debris from the highway before turning the scene over to the RCMP. Tow trucks were called to remove the vehicles.
Information about the extent of any injuries was not provided.
Whitney said the fire department had responded to 106 calls as of Sept. 29, including 20 motor vehicle collisions.
That number is consistent with the department’s previously reported call volume. The department responded to its 100th call of 2026 on Sept. 21, when firefighters battled a pickup and skid-steer fire on Burrows Avenue East in Melfort.
Whitney thanked Melfort firefighters for handling the simultaneous emergencies and recognized the other agencies involved in the responses.
“Thank you to all the members of MFD for your help on these calls, as well as a thank you to our partners in EMS, RCMP and SaskPower,” the department said in its account of the incidents.
