There were no reports of any injuries
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com
A barn fire near Delaware, Ont. caused an estimated $1 million in damages Friday evening.
Firefighters from Middlesex Centre and Strathroy-Caradoc responded to the blaze at Belvoir Estate, a 300-acre farm on Gideon Drive, around 8:00 p.m. In total, about 40 firefighters and 11 fire trucks battled the blaze.
Members of the Middlesex County detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were also on scene.
Belvoir Estate is associated with the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Association of Canada. The farm provides equine programs for those experiencing PTSD.
When firefighters arrived, the barn was engulfed in flames. They managed to keep the fire from spreading to other buildings on the property.
“…the fire was contained to a barn located at the rear of the property,” an OPP release said on Friday. “No persons or animals were present at the time of the fire. The barn contained bales of hay and some farm equipment.”
Damages are estimated at $1 million, Mark Rennison, district fire chief for Middlesex Centre Fire, told AM980. He added the cause of the fire is being investigated and the Ontario Fire Marshal is not attending the scene.
This recent fire serves as a reminder for farmers to ensure all fire safety precautions are in place.
“Middlesex Centre’s Fire Service continues to encourage farm owners and workers to become more fire safe by creating evacuation plans for buildings containing animals, having employees trained in fire safety and proper building and machine maintenance,” according to a Middlesex Centre Fire release obtained by AM980.
OMAFRA’s publication, Reducing the Risk of Fire on Farm, provides prevention strategies and maintenance tips to help reduce the possibility of barn fires.