(Union Mills, IN) - A barn in La Porte County was destroyed by fire on Sunday.  Firefighters after 3 p.m. responded to the 6100 block of S. 400 West.

According to La Porte County Police, a 40-year old woman was burning unwanted items in a fire pit and walked away for a couple of minutes.  When she returned, the fire somehow spread from the pit to the barn and the woman attempted to extinguish the fire with a garden hose but the flames had grown too intense, police said.

Police said a smaller barn nearby caught fire but firefighters managed to save that structure.  The larger barn collapsed shortly after the fire was extinguished.

According to police, the woman was cleaning out the home of her grandmother who passed away recently.

Photo Credit:  VFR Drones