Barn goes up in flames

A 150-year-old barn went up in flames on a West Lincoln property on Sunday.

Pelham Fire Services responded to the call of fire at 10:41 a.m., said fire Chief Bob Lymburner.

One of the owners of the 3723 Sixteen Rd. property went out in the barn and discovered the fire. The owner suspects it was caused by electrical components of a water heater in the structure, Lymburner said.

The barn was full of hay, equipment and livestock. The hay in particular made the fire a challenge because of its flammability.

Livestock, including cattle and pigs, all managed to get out safely. Cattle were corralled into an attached field and kept away from the burning barn and thick smoke as crews battled the fire.

Lymburner said someone eventually brought livestock transportation vehicles and all the livestock was removed from the site unharmed.

Due to the age of the barn, he said it’s difficult to put a price on the damage.

It was completely burned and needed to be torn apart in order to ensure the fire was completely out and all the hotspots were taken care of, he said. Because of that, crews were on scene until late in the afternoon.

Another challenge for crews one scene was the temperatures. At –16 C before wind-chill was taken into account, Pelham’s fire department worked with mutual aid fire departments from West Lincoln and Lincoln to bring the blaze under control.

“Rehab is difficult in these situations,” Lymburner said.

He said at the fire’s peak, there were about 35 firefighters on site. This allowed them to take shifts battling the blaze and warming up.

There were no injuries as a result of the fire.

LAURA BARTON/WELLAND TRIBUNE Fire crews cut through a fence on a Sixteen Road property in West Lincoln to open up another angle of attack for fire burning through a barn on the property on Sunday. Pelham, Lincoln and West Lincoln fire departments responded to the blaze.