The cause of a barn fire that caused more than $2 million in damage in upper Montgomery County, Maryland, remains under investigation.
“We’re here doing some follow-up trying to determine what happened,” said Lt. Matt Trivett, a longtime Montgomery fire investigator, said Tuesday.
Montgomery County Fire & Rescue spokesman Pete Piringer said the fire started in a barn on Peach Tree Road near Barnesville Road around 11:45 p.m. Monday.
The fire in the large barn that had two attached structures was “well involved” when firefighters arrived, Trivett said.
There were no injuries and no animals inside.
Piringer described the area as a “non-hydrant area” and said 65 firefighters responded.
The fire started in the main barn, where round and rectangular bales of hay were stored.
It spread to the two other structures that were used for storage, as well as tools and business and farm equipment.
Trivett said the fire also spread to nearby fuel and propane tanks.
Barnsville, MD @MontgomeryCoMD structure fire(s) 3 connected barns a total loss, estimated >$2M in damage, Cause is under investigation https://t.co/Zki9MnYQzn pic.twitter.com/vqIYrVJKhT
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) May 11, 2021
Initially, Piringer said the barn was in the Dickerson area, but later said it was closer to Barnesville.
(8a 5/11) Update – Peach Tree Rd barn fire, including 3 barn structures of varying size, no animals, 100s of hay ‘rounds’, tools, farm equipment, & shop, total loss likely upwards ~$2M, @mcfrs crew remain on scene, @mcfrsPIO7 BC705 Jay Blake is on scene w/ update https://t.co/0cmYiusjr2 pic.twitter.com/emNJnCg5QS
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) May 11, 2021
Below is a map of the area where the fire occurred:
