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The fire broke out around 5 a.m., Thursday, July 11, when the residents of the barn apartment at the Long Meadow Horse Farm on Meadow Brook Road, heard the "horses making noises," said Newtown Deputy Fire Marshall Steve Murphy.
The barn manager, who lives in the apartment, was able to release the 11 horses inside the barn safely, and arriving Newtown firefighters helped to release the remaining chickens and other animals inside, Murphy said. One cat was reported missing.
When all five Newtown fire departments arrived on the scene the barn was totally engulfed in flames, Murphy said.
"We knew it was impossible to save," he said.
Due to the lack of a fire hydrant in the area, water had to be shuttled to the site via a tanker truck with water from the fire department.
More than 50 firefighters responded from Botsford, Dodgingtown, Hawleyville, Hook & Ladder, and Sandy Hook fire departments. Stepney and Stevenson fire departments also responded.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, Murphy said.
Once the fire was burned out, an excavator was used to knock down the walls of the barn which was completely destroyed.
Shortly after the fire, neighbors, and friends started a GoFundMe page in an effort to help the family that lived in the barn apartment and lost everything, including their vehicle.
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