Media Contact:
Heifer International: Ray White or Jennifer Pierce, 800-422-1311
Ray.white@heifer.org or jennifer.pierce@heifer.org
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carpenters@carpenterspr.com

For immediate release
Main Barn at Overlook Farm Heavily Damaged by Fire
 

RUTLAND, Mass., Monday, March 6 --- The main barn at Heifer International’s Overlook Farm at Rutland, Mass., was heavily damaged by fire early this morning. Losses included one adult doe goat and nine newborn kids, a hen and a duck, plus 50 baby chicks. One other adult doe goat and three kids were slightly injured. Volunteers were able to rescue all other animals in the barn, including about 80 large animals.

The 8,000-sq.-ft. structure, a wooden barn with a tin roof and dirt floor, was the primary livestock holding facility at Overlook, which is a training and educational facility for the world hunger organization Heifer International. Overlook Farm attracts more than 20,000 visitors each year to learn about effective solutions to hunger and poverty. The barn also included a shop and power tool shed that was destroyed.

What happened: Volunteers had been making hourly checks on the newborn goats. When a volunteer discovered smoke in the barn about 6 a.m. Dale Perkins, Overlook Farm manager, and the fire department were summoned. Perkins found volunteers with fire extinguishers fighting a rapidly spreading fire that was climbing the walls to the rafters. He organized volunteers to move the animals out of their stalls and out of the barn. Several fire trucks from nearby communities responded and they put out the fire after about half the structure was destroyed.

Perkins said plans are being made to house the horses with friends nearby, and other animals can be housed at other small barns on site. A veterinarian, James Harter, treated the three injured newborn goats and the adult doe, which had an injured leg.

Local fire officials said the probable cause of the fire was accidental. A heat lamp used to keep the baby animals warm may have fallen or been knocked by the animals into bedding materials. This despite the fact that the baby animals were being checked at regular intervals by volunteers as part of a routine during spring lambing at the farm.

Educational activities will be suspended through Friday, said Anne Harper, Heifer’s vice president of education.

Donations to help rebuild the barn can be made at heifer.org or by calling 800-442-0474.