‘A complete loss’: Barn destroyed, five horses killed in Woolwich Township farm fire

Fire officials say five horses have died following a barn fire in Woolwich Township early Saturday morning.

In a social media post at 7:14 a.m., Waterloo Regional Police said Arthur Street North was closed off both ways between Sandy Hills Drive and Florapine Road for the fire.

According to the Woolwich Fire Department, the call came in around 3 a.m.

Firefighters responded to 3158 Arthur St. N where they said a barn located on the property was fully engulfed in flames.

“A defensive tactic was established,” a spokesperson for the fire department said in an email to CTV News. “There was a propane tank close by that firefighters cooled to prevent any potential explosion. About 35 firefighters from five Woolwich station responded to the call...and used about 24 tankers or 60,000 gallons of water.”

An excavator was called in to assist with uncovering hot spots. The fire was declared extinguished at around 8:30 a.m.

“The barn was a complete loss,” the spokesperson said. “Because of the extent [of] damage the fire department cannot determine a cause nor will it be investigating any further.”

No injuries were reported.