A heating lamp used to keep cow calves warm was determined to be the cause of a fire that destroyed a dairy barn in Westfield on Monday afternoon, according to the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Jennifer Meith with the State Fire Marshal’s Office told Western Mass News a heat lamp at Pomeroy Farm on Russellville Road fell and ignited from nearby combustibles like bedding or hay.
Meith said four young cow calves also perished in the fire that caused an estimated $350,000 in damage.
When Westfield firefighters arrived to the barn around 4 p.m. on Monday, they knew they were in for a challenge due to the lack of fire hydrants.
“We were on scene for about four hours,” said Westfield Deputy Fire Chief Patrick Kane.
“That one was a little tough due to the lack of hydrants in the area so we did have to do a shuttle operation,” Kane explained.
While firefighters tried to save as much as the barn as they could, it was deemed a total loss.
“It’s just another issue we have to contend with and kind of pre-plan for, and our guys did an excellent job last night,” Kane noted.
Members of the Westfield Fire Department, the Westfield Police Department, and the State Fire Marshal’s Office investigated the fire.
Source: WesternMassNews
