(La Porte County, IN) - A number of farm animals were killed when a barn went up in flames early Tuesday morning in La Porte County.

 

The fire happened at about 2:30 a.m. in the 7200 block of N. Range Road, a few miles north of U.S. 20. Kankakee Township Fire Chief Zach Rasiuk said a pig died in the roughly 600 square foot two story barn, which was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. Additionally, Laporte County Police say there were 30 chickens inside the barn along with five rabbits.

 

All of the animals were presumed dead because of a failed attempt to save them. Residents of the nearby home were awakened by their dog barking. That alerted them to the fire, but they were unfortunately driven back by the smoke and flames.

 

Rasiuk said all that remained of the building were exterior cinder block walls on the main level, and parts of the charred wooden upper level of the structure. along with some metal beams warped by the intense heat from the flames.

 

“There wasn’t much left standing,” he said.

 

A utility task vehicle and miscellaneous tools inside the barn were also destroyed.  The house on the property was a few hundred yards away from the barn and was never threatened by the fire.

 

The cause of the fire was under investigation with help from the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office, though Rasiuk noted it seemed to have started near an electrical panel on the opposite side of the barn from where the chickens were kept.