An old barn in Montville Township went up in flames despite the best efforts of about a dozen fire departments early Thursday morning.
A motorist passing by 10525 Kile Road saw the century barn in flames and called the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office shortly after midnight, Montville Township Fire Chief Ron Jonovich said. The motorist then went to the home — which was a safe distance from the barn — of owners Thomas and Kara Cloonan to alert them.
Jonovich said the MVFD got the call at about 12:20 a.m. and responded to find the barn and attached garage fully involved.
“About 50 firefighters from 10 or 12 departments from three counties responded,” he said, but the structure, built around 1847, was severely destroyed.
There are no fire hydrants on Kile Road, so several tanker trucks were brought to the scene to provide water.
The roof fell in early during the blaze and, because it was metal, it kept water from reaching into the barn, Jonovich said.
The chief added the structure was then too unsound for firefighters to go inside.
The fire was under control shortly after 1 a.m., Jonovich said, but the building was a total loss. Firefighters were at the scene until 4:30 a.m.
“The severe cold didn’t help matters,” Jonovich said.
Temperatures were in the 20s Thursday morning and about 3 degrees when firefighters revisited the scene Thursday night to put out flames that had rekindled, Jonovich said.
“It appears the barn was in good, useable condition,” he added, with equipment stored inside.
The attached garage contained a work van with tools and a summer camper, both of which were destroyed, the chief said, adding he didn’t have a dollar estimate on the loss.
Nobody was hurt, he said.
The cause of the blaze is under investigation.