On Wednesday April 20, 2016 at approximately 5:08 p.m., a neighbor notified the Washington County Sheriff’s Office of a barn fire located at 6340 Arthur Rd in the Town of Hartford. Deputies and firefighters from the St. Lawrence and Hartford Fire Department were subsequently dispatched to the scene.
Assistance was also requested from the Allenton, Jackson, Slinger, Richfield, Kohlsville, and West Bend Fire Departments. Upon their arrival, emergency responders observed flames coming out of the top and sides of the barn.
The barn was fully engulfed at the time of arrival.
While the fire was brought under control, traffic was shut down on Arthur Road between Hwy 83 and Saint Lawrence Lane for approximately 2 hours.
The home owner was present and tried to get as many animals out of the barn as possible.
No firefighters were injured during the extinguishment of the fire. Unfortunately, a cat and two rabbits perished as a result of the blaze. Damage to the barn and contents is estimated at approximately $70,000.
The exact cause of the fire is currently unknown and the incident remains under investigation by Washington County Sheriff’s Fire Investigators.
Photo courtesy Washington County Sheriff’s Department.