Va. barn fire that killed 500 animals ruled an accident; no cause determined

The barn fire that killed more than 500 animals in Prince William County, Virginia, has been ruled an accident, although fire officials say the barn was so badly damaged that they can’t tell what the exact cause was.

The fire started around 3:30 a.m. Sunday in Gainesville, along Lee Highway. About 500 chickens and ducks, four dogs and three pigs died in the fire. No humans were hurt.

“Due to the severity of the destruction, an actual fire cause cannot be determined,” fire officials said in a statement Monday.

They said the barn was privately rented, and was not part of a commercial operation.

Rick Massimo

Rick Massimo came to WTOP, and to Washington, in 2013 after having lived in Providence, R.I., since he was a child. He's the author of "A Walking Tour of the Georgetown Set" and "I Got a Song: A History of the Newport Folk Festival."

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