At least 150 animals are dead following a pair of barn fires being treated as suspicious.
Firefighters were first called to a barn on Line 61 just outside Milverton around 11 p.m. Thursday in response to a fire.
Less than an hour later, a police officer and neighbours watching the firefighting efforts saw flames coming from a barn on the next property over.
“The officer immediately ran across the field and contacted the (firefighters), and they made their way over to see what they could salvage and fight that fire,” said Const. Kees Wijnands of Perth County OPP.
Both barns were destroyed, with a preliminary damage estimate starting at $500,000.
It is believed that approximately 130 goats, 20 cattle and four horses were killed in the first fire. As of noon Friday, the exact contents of the second barn were not known, although officials said it was used for cattle storage.
One firefighter was also injured, and was taken to hospital to be treated for dehydration. He had been released from hospital by late Friday morning.
Criselly Sippel, who has a hobby farm nearby, says she sympathizes with the farmers who lost their livestock.
“It would be devastating for anybody being able to see their animals (and) not get them to safety,” she said.
“For the community to have two at once is just sad.”
The fires are being considered separate incidents until proven otherwise, but police say both are being treated as suspicious and someone in the public may have information that can help their investigation.
“If anyone saw a car that didn’t belong … or something that was amiss, please contact us,” said Wijnands.
The Office of the Fire Marshal is also investigating.
Several common causes of barn fires have already been ruled out, because neither barn had electricity and neither barn was used for storing hay.
Investigators also say the wind was blowing in a direction that made it impossible for embers to jump from the first barn to the second.
