During the afternoon of August 19th, 2002, I saw a huge column of black smoke rising in the sky about two miles to the north of our farm. Since the smoke was black, I thought it was a oil/gas well blow out...not a cotton fire. However, it was a cotton fire. A six-row, spindle cotton picker was on fire in a field. When I got there, most of the cotton had been dumped on the ground from the basket of the picker (and was being picked up with a front-end loader). The picker had been driven out into the field were the cotton had already been harvested and abandoned to the flames. From the road, I could see the huge front left tire flaming out and smoking.  Revisiting the scene today,  it appears that the fire began either in the engine or in the back of the spindle section of the front. Following are photos of the $300,000. machine about twenty-four hours later. What was left of the tires was still smoking.

The Burnt Out Picker from a Distance

The front of the picker. There are six sets of "scoops" which identify this as a six-row machine. A closer look at the front discloses the spindles that are characteristics of a "picker" and not a "stripper."

The cab of the picker was obviously over the worst of the fire. We are sure the driver made it out safely after dumping the cotton from the basket and getting the machine away from the unharvested cotton.

This is a side view of the basket that normally holds the cotton. The side has fallen down and away.

The back view discloses that the rims are all that remain for the wheels. The radiator has fallen out on the scorched soil.

The front tires would stand taller than I am; but, this is all that is left.

This is the upper back of the spindle housing. This area was clearly one of the "hot zones."

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