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A fire that destroyed a Leacock Township dairy barn early Tuesday was intentionally set, a state police fire marshal said.
State police Fire Marshal Brian Herr said his investigation "revealed that the fire was intentionally started in the upper level of the main barn" at 3306 Harvest Drive.
Gordonville fire Chief Tony Kauffman said the barn had no electricity and there were no fuel sources or any machinery that could have sparked flames.
Jacob Esh, who farms the property, told officials he had been in the barn Monday night but had used a flashlight, not a lantern.
The fire was discovered about 4:20 a.m. by Blake Matthews, who was in the area delivering newspapers by car for Lancaster Newspapers Inc. when he saw the barn roof ablaze.
Matthews called 911 and honked his horn repeatedly to alert anyone who might be sleeping in the farmhouse on the property.
However, John Fisher, who owns the property, and Esh already were awake. Matthews helped them rescue more than 40 dairy cows, seven mules and a horse from the burning building.
The structure was a "complete loss" and damages totaled roughly $250,000, Herr said.
"When we got here, most of the barn was on fire, so I'm glad people were helping the animals get out," Kauffman said.
Reports that a cow was killed were erroneous, Kauffman said. One cow was on the ground "bawling" for some time, but it later recovered.
Two mules remained trapped in the barn for about an hour and a half as the fire raged, Kauffman said. Firefighters kept the flames away from the animals with water from their hoses and eventually were able to move the animals outside with the jets of spray.
"I'm still surprised they survived all the smoke and heat," the fire chief said.
Firefighters from 14 companies spent more than seven hours battling the fire.
"There was so much hay, it made things hard," Kauffman said. "We had to haul it away from the barn because it was smoldering."
In addition to the animals, farm equipment and the contents of a silo were saved, he said.
Fire companies assisting Gordonville included Bart, Blue Ball, Christiana, Gap, Intercourse, Lampeter, Kinzer, Martindale, Paradise, Ronks, Strasburg, West Earl, White Horse and Witmer, according to Lancaster County-Wide Communications.
Gordonville Ambulance and Lancaster Emergency Medical Services Association also responded.
Tuesday's blaze was one of several suspicious barn fires that have hit the county in recent months. A fire that began about 3 a.m. Nov. 3 destroyed a barn on the property of Joseph Wivell, 1350 E. Donegal Creek Road in East Donegal Township, police said. About 80 head of cattle were killed, and the total loss was about $1.5 million, according to Lt. Stephen Englert of Susquehanna Regional police.
About 2 a.m. Nov. 23, a fire destroyed a barn belonging to Jay Deiter of 2040 River Road in Conoy Township. Damage in that fire was $120,000, including farm equipment in the barn, Englert said.
State police ruled both fires arson.
Susquehanna Regional police recently appealed to the public for tips to help break the cases.
It is unknown if any of the incidents are related. Anyone with information may call Englert at 426-1164 or Crime Stoppers at (800) 4PA-TIPS.
Barn fire in Leacock Township
