Bomb squad detonates old dynamite discovered at Kendall fire

Photos by Tom Rivers – Holley firefighters use their ladder truck this afternoon to douse a barn fire at 1857 Transit Rd., Kendall. Ron Meiers is running the ladder controls.

Carlton firefighter Matt Olles takes a video of the Monroe County Bomb Squad detonating dynamite in a field by a wooded area on Transit Road.

KENDALL – The Monroe County Bomb Squad detonated old sticks of dynamite this afternoon after fire destroyed two wooden barns on Transit Road in Kendall.

Property David Onderdonk told firefighters about the dynamite stored in a cinder block building next to the barns. The explosives, which fire officials said were about 25 years old, were detonated in a field by a wooden area across from Onderdonk’s property at 1857 Transit Rd.

Paul Wagner has served as the Orleans County emergency management coordinator for 13 years. He said this was the third time as EMO that dynamite was discovered stashed near a fire scene.

Wagner and fire officials suspect an electrical problem started the blaze. An investigation is continuing.

A fire this afternoon on Transit Road in Kendall destroyed two barns owned by Dave Onderdonk. Nine fire departments responded to the fire.

The fire was reported about 12:45 p.m. and filled the neighborhood with dark smoke. The dynamite was detonated at about 6:30 p.m.

The two barns were total losses. Onderdonk said they dated back to the 1800s. He lost printing and construction equipment in the fire.

The road doesn’t have a public line and departments use tanker trucks to haul water to the scene. Firefighters also used a neighboring pond for water.

The following departments responded to the scene: Kendall, Clarendon, Fancher-Hulberton-Murray, Holley, Morton, Hamlin, Carlton, Lyndonville and Barre.

Firefighters work to extinguish the smoky remains of two barns that were destroyed this afternoon in Kendall.