Cazenovia fire claims lives of several goats, barn total loss
CAZENOVIA, N.Y. — A barn in Cazenovia that caught fire early Sunday morning is being considered a total loss.
The fire started just after midnight on Ridge Rd.
Multiple fire companies responded to the call and worked through until the morning. A firefighter at the scene said that the conditions were tough and they did all they could to salvage the barn.
Alyssa Frantz, a neighbor of the residence that the barn was located said that she woke up to a horrific site next door to her that morning.
“All I saw was an orange glow next door, I ran over, there was just screaming and chaos,” said Frantz. “There was nothing we could do at that point. There was just a bunch of people we couldn’t do much. We felt so helpless.”
Several goats that were housed in the barn did not make it out.
“There were baby goats that were born in the last month and there was probably 20 other goats and the horses got out but that’s it,” said Frantz.
The couple who own the barn, Doug and Sheila, said that taking care of the animals was their livelihood. Frantz said that she also felt that way.
“I grew up right next door my entire life but I would say this was my second home,” said Frantz. “The animals, Doug and Sheila, they’re my second family.”
The fire also burned Doug’s truck, and his large boat-as well as his equipment for his excavating business.
A group of people at Frantz’s school have decided to pitch in and help raise money for 120 bales of hay. Frantz said that although all of the horses made it out of the barn, they lost all of the hay in the fire and that this should get them through the whole winter.
The fire chief said that no foul play is suspected.
