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Pre-dawn fire destroys Norfolk barn, home undamaged

Pre-dawn fire destroys Norfolk barn, home undamaged

A fire destroyed this barn on Winchester Road in Norfolk early Wednesday, Aug. 19. There were no injuries.

Provided

NORFOLK — An early morning blaze engulfed a Winchester Road barn on Wednesday, Aug. 19, destroying the structure. The fire was extinguished by late Wednesday morning, and there were no injuries to residents, first responders or animals, Norfolk Public Information Officer Jon Barbagallo said.

Approximately 25 responders from the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department, Norfolk Emergency Medical Services, Winsted Fire Department, Winchester Fire Department and Drakeville Volunteer Fire Department responded to Lost Ruby Farm at 458 Winchester Road just after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Barbagallo said the Norfolk road crew from the Town Garage was also on site with an excavator to move debris and improve access to the blaze.

Barbagallo said that the homeowners notified authorities after they were awakened by the glow and crackle of the burning barn, which stood approximately 30 feet from their home.

As a result, “it had quite a head start by the time we were even notified,” he said. “By the time we got there, it was basically fully involved.”

Crews decided to let the barn burn out rather than try to save the structure and instead focused on protecting the nearby home, which was ultimately not damaged. Barbagallo said that the blaze was brought under control within 45 minutes of the first crew arriving.

Some equipment used in the farm’s operations was damaged. Barbagallo said the homeowner told him an order of chicks was due to arrive that morning and would have been housed in the barn, but had not been delivered.

There were no animals inside the building at the time of the blaze.

Lost Ruby Farm previously operated as a small-scale commercial producer of craft goat cheese, but since 2023 has operated as a hobby farm.

Adair Mali, an owner of the property, said she was “grateful to all the fire departments who came to help and for all the community support.”

Alec Linden
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