Three stations and 35 firefighters responded to a devastating barn fire just outside of Wellesley Township Sunday morning.
Waterloo Regional Police were called to the fire on Hessen Strasse around 3 a.m.
Fire officials say upon arrival the fire was fully involved and the roof had already caved in.
Responders were on scene for several hours trying to bring down the fire.
Don Freiburger, a neighbor of the property, says it was a horrific sight.
"It was huge, it was huge, unbelievable. Actually scary because the red cinders were flying right over his house towards the road," he says.
Police say approximately seven horses, 150 pigs, and 12 chickens died in the fire, but 61 cattle managed to get out safely.
The barn was left completely flattened and damage is estimated at $400,000.
The cause is currently under investigation according to St. Clements Fire Department District Chief Brad Dietrich.
"The homeowner had no space heaters or line tracings running at the time, so we're not really sure at this point yet," he says.
The fire is not considered suspicious.
With reporting by Stu Gooden
