A Sidney firefighter rescues an alpaca from the burning petting zoo barn at VanDemark Farm at around 4:10 p.m. on Sunday. Firefighters Sidney, Anna, Lockington and Port Jefferson were called to the barn fire.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
An aerial view of the fire at a barn on Vandemark Farm on Sunday afternoon. Firefighters battled the blaze for over an hour. After initially fighting the blaze on the interior, a roof collapse forced crews to evacuate. They were able to put the blaze out from outside the barn.
Firefighters approach a burning barn at VanDemark Farm as a goat runs out at around on Sunday afternoon. The fire started shortly after 4 p.m. and according to a City of Sidney press release caused an estimated $300,000 in damages. Multiple animals that are part of VanDemark Farm’s petting zoo were trapped in the barn. Many were rescued, but several pigs died. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by Sidney Fire and Emergency Services Investigation Unit.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
An alpaca attempts to reenter the burning petting zoo barn at VanDemark Farm after it was rescued from the barn by a firefighter at around 4:10 p.m. on Sunday. Firefighters from Lockington, Sidney, and Anna were called to the barn fire. Multiple animals that are part of VanDemark Farmճ petting zoo were trapped in the barn. At least four animals were rescued from the fire.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
A goat runs from the burning petting zoo barn at VanDemark Farm at around 4:10 p.m. on Sunday. Firefighters from Lockington, Sidney, and Anna were called to the barn fire. Multiple animals that are part of VanDemark Farmճ petting zoo were trapped in the barn. At least four animals were rescued from the fire.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
A firefighter sprays water into a burning petting zoo barn at VanDemark Farm at around 4:10 p.m. on Sunday. Firefighters from Lockington, Sidney, and Anna were called to the barn fire. Multiple animals that are part of VanDemark Farmճ petting zoo were trapped in the barn. At least four animals were rescued from the fire.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
A Sidney firefighter finally gets the alpaca into a pen after saving it twice from the burning petting zoo barn at VanDemark Farm at around 4:10 p.m. on Sunday. Firefighters from Lockington, Sidney, and Anna were called to the barn fire. Multiple animals that are part of VanDemark Farmճ petting zoo were trapped in the barn. At least four animals were rescued from the fire.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
SIDNEY — A barn fire at VanDemark Farm on Sunday afternoon caused an estimated $300,000 in damages and the death of several pigs.
Sidney firefighters and multiple other Shelby County agencies responded to VanDemark Farm at 4:07 p.m. on Sunday. The building is a mixed-use facility for Moore’s Sandblasting and a shelter for animals.
Fire crews went into the building and removed animals while efforts were made inside the structure to put out the blaze. A roof collapse forced firefighters to evacuate, but they were able to extinguish the fire from outside the building.
Fire crews battled the blaze for over an hour and used water from a pond on the property to put out the fire. Crews moved animals out of the building, and some were moved into a pen behind the barn. Some animals got loose on the property during the commotion, and VanDemark Farm personnel corralled them.
According to the press release, while many animals were evacuated, several pigs died.
The estimated property loss is $200,000 for the structure and $100,000 for the contents.
VanDemark Farms said in a Facebook post on Monday the building is a complete loss.
Sidney Fire and Emergency Services Investigation Unit is investigating the cause of the fire.
Firefighters from Anna, Lockington and Port Jefferson were dispatched to assist.
VanDemark Farms thanked emergency personnel in their Facebook post and expressed thanks for the support of the community members who reached out. The business said it is working to get the property back in working order and plans to have its normal autumn activities start in coming weeks.
Sidney fire chief Chad Hollinger said during Monday’s city council meeting that all crews did an exceptional job fighting the blaze and containing it to the barn.
DRIVING RANGE OPEN
Sunday’s fire caused damage to electrical systems that supplied power to the driving range at VanDemark Farm, but the business said in a Facebook post on Tuesday morning that power had been restored and the range is open to the public. The business asked patrons who are visiting the driving range to stay away from the site of the barn fire.
Reach Sidney Daily News editor Bryant Billing at 937-538-4822, or follow @BryantBillingSDN on Facebook or @TopBillingSport on X (Twitter).
