Firefighters spent most of Saturday afternoon battling a blaze at the Snyders Family Farm, on Cedar Creek Road between Ayr and Plattsville.
OPP say a neighbour noticed thick smoke coming from one of the barns on the 100-acre property around 1:15 p.m.
“The building maintained its integrity for almost an hour and a half,” said deputy fire chief Paul Redman. Then it began to collapse.
John Snyder and his wife were about to give their week-old baby boy Beau a bath when they noticed smoke coming from the barn.
Firefighters told the family to leave the property because of toxic yellow smoke billowing from the barn. When the barn’s spray-foam insulation caught fire it produced the yellow smoke which contained a cancer-causing chemical.
Buildings within a one kilometer radius also had to be evacuated.
Fire crews from Plattsville, Drumbo, Bright and Princeton were called in to help with the blaze.
No one was injured, but the barn and its contents were destroyed.
Less than two weeks ago, the building was used as a Haunted Barn for Halloween. It housed all the seasonal props the family used for their “Fear Farm” event.
“It’s hard to think about how we’re going to replace [everything], but I’m sure we’ll come up with some new and unique ideas to send shivers down everyone’s spines next year,” said Snyder. “In the end, it’s just a barn.”
Snyders Family Farm, formerly known as Kim-Glo, is a popular destination with families. Besides the Fear Farm, the Snyders have a corn maze, petting zoo and nursery on the property. They also sell pumpkins and Christmas trees.
“These people work so hard, it’s their livelihood,” said neighbour Julie Epplett. “Everything they had is gone up in smoke.”
The Ontario Fire Marshal will not be called in to investigate, as the blaze is not considered suspicious.
