By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

At around 11:10 a.m. Wednesday, the Hays Fire and Police Departments responded to a fire contained within the sign in front of  Quality Inn, 2810 Vine, where welders were working on the sign.

“They were up there trying to remove the sign, cutting bolts off they can’t get loose,” said Hays Fire Department Capt. Kirk Klein.

At the top of the pole, he said there was an opening that allowed birds to enter into the pole, bringing with them nesting materials.

“There’s a ring where the two posts join together. There is a nest down there and, as they were cutting, sparks and embers were dropping down that started the nest on fire,” Klein said.

The welders attempted to extinguish the fire with extinguishers and water, but because of the length of the pole were unable to completely extinguish the fire.

Workers then called the HFD and flagged a passing truck to assist.

After setting up the ladder, members of the HFD worked to put out the smoldering fire within the pole.

“We used the ladder pipe to spray down, but since it was so far down, we took a hose up the ladder and hung it down and moved it around. Then we ran a hose up from the bottom,” Klein said.

Klein said water was sprayed after the fire was out in an effort to soak any remaining nesting materials.

The HFD remained at the scene for a little over an hour and, by 12:30 p.m., work had resumed on the sign.