OTTAWA -- Firefighters say it took nearly seven hours to put out a fire in a barn that killed a small number of livestock -- including a miniature pony.
Todd Horricks, a sector chief with Ottawa Fire Services, says firefighters were called to the barn at about 5 a.m. on Monday to find it fully engulfed in flames.
Photos from the scene show a metal barn with smoke pouring out the open sides and holes in the roof.
Working barn fire on Stonecrest Rd is under control. Unfortunately, a small amount of live stock was lost (family pets). FF’s are working on overhaul and awaiting heavy equipment to assist @OttFire pic.twitter.com/EJLfg7yZqa
— Todd Horricks (@District8Chief) January 15, 2018
Fire officials say the blaze was finally put out shortly after 12:30 p.m.
Horricks says there were about 200 bales of hay in the building that acted as kindling for the flames and made the fire much harder to fight.
He says the barn served as part of a farm school where kids would go to learn about animals and farming.
Fire officials say that in addition to the pony, three sheep, three lambs, two goats and a cat died in the fire.
He says no civilians were hurt but a firefighter slipped on some ice and sprained his ankle while fighting the blaze.
