Firefighters were able to save a barn on an Elmira-area property from being destroyed by flames Monday night.
Crews from Elmira, Floradale and St. Jacobs were called to the barn – on Arthur Street North, north of Side Road 5 – around 7:30 p.m.
“One of the farmer’s sons smelled some smoke in the barn,” Woolwich deputy fire chief Dale Martin said from the scene.
The son then went into the barn and saw flames spreading along a beam, Martin says, at which point he alerted authorities and began removing livestock from the structure.
“He proceeded to get a pail of water and he threw water onto the fire,” Martin said.
Firefighters arrived and took over from there, removing hundreds of bales of hay to get at the fire and then extinguishing it with water.
“We feel pretty fortunate that the barn is still standing,” Martin said.
“It’s not too often we get to save a barn like this.”
The barn sustained some structural damage, but it’s not believed to be significant.
Firefighters believe an electrical cause is to blame for the fire.
