Ottawa firefighters say there were no animals inside a large barn fire in the 6200 block of Fourth Line Road that brought down a hydro line on Thursday afternoon. Firefighters say they received a report describing a “raging barn fire” in North Gower shortly after 3:30 p.m. on Christmas Day and were advised that power lines in the area were arcing. Upon arriving to the scene minutes later, firefighters saw that a large barn was burning from all four sides and emitting black smoke. Firefighters say the property owners confirmed there were no animals inside the barn. There were no hydrants in the area, so firefighters used tankers trucks to shuttle in water. As the crew was working to subdue the fire, a hydro line fell down, and just before 4 p.m. the barn collapsed completely. Firefighters say an excavator was used to move debris and gain access to certain “hot spots.” The fire was declared under control shortly after 5 p.m. One firefighter suffered a minor injury during the response and was taken to the hospital for treatment but was later released. Ottawa paramedics say they were on the scene to provide support but treated no patients. An Ottawa Fire Services Investigator is working to determine the cause of the fire.
