Multiple crews needed to help control the blaze
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com
Fire crews continue to battle a barn fire in Monck, Ontario, near Mount Forest and Grand Valley, that broke out Monday evening.
“They’re still working and removing debris,” said Wellington North fire chief Dave Guilbault told Farms.com during a phone interview. “There’s 640 acres of hay within the building. So obviously a big building that’s still burning as we speak and has been since about 6:00 yesterday evening.”
Firefighters from Wellington North, Dundalk, Grand Valley and Shelburne were called to the scene. Upon arrival, the barn was fully engulfed, forcing firefighters into a defensive approach to save the surrounding buildings.
Firefighters continue to battle a barn fire in Monck, Ontario.
Photo: Wellington Advertiser/Twitter
According to the Confederate, officials on scene said the barn was recently constructed and completely made of steel. In addition to hay, baling equipment and a hay dryer were housed inside.
The cause of the fire is still undetermined and until one is known, the fire will be treated as suspicious.
“All fires are treated as suspicious until I can get the Fire Marshal here and we determine that it’s not,” Guilbault said. “There’s been a lot of barn fires in southwestern Ontario.”
Guilbault said no animals were in the barn when the fire began and no injuries have been reported.
Damage is estimated at around $3 million.
Since the beginning of 2016, Farms.com has covered nearly 20 fires at farms and barns across Ontario.