PA FFs Save Barn and Cows as Milk House Burns

Apr. 1—SOMERSET, Pa. — A fire destroyed a milk house in Somerset County, but the attached barn was saved by Salisbury Volunteer Fire Department and assisting departments from the area, Salisbury Chief Justin Short said.

Salisbury firefighters were dispatched at 3:38 p.m. Thursday for a barn fire on Liberty Street in Boynton, southern Somerset County.

Short said he saw heavy fire coming from the milk house connected to the barn when he arrived.

The firefight lasted two and a half hours, Short said. The cause is currently undetermined, he said.

Barn owners spotted the fire and called 911.

Short estimated the damage to the milk house to be between $30,000 and $40,000. In addition, the milk stored there was lost.

However, the farmer's 30 cows and five calves were saved. Two calves had slight burns and were treated by a veterinarian, short said.

The barn was saved, which is rare, Short said.

"Barn fires are rare, but it's even rarer that a fire department saves a barn — they are old wood, full of hay and almost made to burn, but it's almost like somebody is looking over you," he said.

Short praised the mutual aid departments that assisted from Meyersdale, Garrett County, Bittinger and Berlin.

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