Structure fire destroys barn in Farmington

FARMINGTON – A barn containing an antique tractor, boats and life jackets was destroyed this afternoon, as local fire departments responded to Tuesday’s second structure fire.

The pole barn was located at 656 Mosher Hill Road, on property owned by Karen and Patrick Cyr near the Farmington/Industry town line. Karen Cyr said that she saw the fire, which the Cyrs reported around 6 p.m.

“I saw flames shooting out of the barn,” Cyr said. “It was engulfed.”

Farmington Fire Rescue responded, with mutual aid arriving at the scene from Wilton, Industry, New Sharon, New Vineyard and Strong. Other town departments were canceled prior to arrival, after the fire was knocked down. Both fire officials and Karen Cyr said it had been fortunate that the wind was blowing away from the Cyr residence.

“Thank gosh it was blowing away from the house,” Cyr said.

Fire Chief Terry Bell said that the state Fire Marshal’s Office had been contacted, and the cause of the fire had yet to be determined.

A shed located a few feet away from the barn was not damaged, nor was the house. Instead, the fire spread up the branches of a handful of trees which were still being doused by firefighters several minutes after the fire was knocked down.

Inside the barn was an antique tractor as well as six boats and a number of life jackets. Karen Cyr was storing the watercraft equipment for a trip down Moose River as part of a program set to run after school gets out for the summer. Now she needs approximately 30 type III or V life jackets before June 15.

It was the second structure fire in the Farmington/Industry area Tuesday. Earlier this morning, crews were drawn to a blaze on Taylor Michael Lane, off Route 43, in an incident that destroyed a residence near the Industry/Starks town line.