The Hecker, Red Bud and New Athens fire departments responded shortly before 6:50 p.m. Wednesday to a fully engulfed large pole barn fire at 5177 Beck Road east of Hecker.

The pole barn and items inside that included a tractor, tools and equipment were all lost in the blaze.

Property owner Roy Searcy told the Republic-Times at the scene that he had just finished mowing when he entered the barn, saw smoke and felt intense heat.

“It got so hot so fast,” he said.

Searcy backed his zero-turn mower out of the shed and escaped without injury.