(TOWNSHIP OF PERTH EAST, ON) – On Thursday June 09, 2016, around11 p.m., Perth County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers were dispatched to a fully engulfed barn fire located on Line 61 east of Road 129 (South East of Milverton).
Perth County OPP members responded to assist the Township of Perth East Fire Department.
The fire completely destroyed the barn as well as the 20 cows, 4 horses and 120 goats that were kept inside the barn.
Around midnight while fire department members were fighting the barn blaze, a bystander noticed that a barn on a neighbouring property east of the original blaze had caught fire.
Fire fighters attended to the second barn fire and attempted to evacuate some of the dairy cattle from the barn. They immediately proceeded to fight this fire but were unable to control it, as it fully engulfed this structure very quickly. It is unknown how many animals were lost in this fire.
At this time both fires are suspicious in nature until deemed otherwise. The Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office (OFM) has been notified. The investigation is in its early stages.
A damage estimate has not been determined.
The Perth County OPP is requesting citizens to contact them if any suspicious person, behaviour or vehicles were observed in the area of Line 61 prior to the fires. The OPP can be contacted at 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), and you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000
