By BOB MOREHEAD

The Post staff writer

CHIPPEWA TOWNSHIP - The fire chief and an investigator from the state fire marshal's office sought a cause Dec. 6 for a fire that claimed a barn the previous night on Grill Road near state Route 21.

No people or animals were injured in the blaze that engulfed the storage barn.

"It was a total loss," Chippewa Fire Chief Ron Browning said.

The department got the call at 3:25 p.m. Dec. 5, Browning said. Units from Norton, Barberton and Clinton responded to help Chippewa. Units from Wadsworth covered the Chippewa station. As they battled the blaze, a car accident needed EMS service at the intersection of Grill and Hametown roads. EMS units from Lawrence Township, Rittman and Barberton took care of that. About 40 firefighters in all took part.

"We finally left the scene around 10 p.m.," Browning said. "We had it so it wasn't going to go up again but it was still smoldering."