Copake farm loses barns, dairy livestock in fierce blaze

COPAKE — Two farm buildings were completely destroyed in a barn fire Dec. 17 at Snook Hill Farm, and  an estimated 35 head of livestock were killed. A third building was also badly damaged.

The cause of the blaze has not yet been determined. The Columbia County Cause and Origin Team is currently investigating the incident.

Copake Fire Chief Randy Shadic said he believes at this point that the blaze was accidental and not caused by arson.

The Copake fire department was dispatched at 2:58 p.m., had a first unit on the scene seven minutes later and was working to contain the flames within 11 minutes, Shadic said. The blaze continued for about eight hours.

The Copake and Ancram fire departments were the first on the scene, followed by Hillsdale and Craryville, Shadic reported. Departments from Millerton, Churchtown and Taghkanic provided mutual aid support.

Preventing the residence from catching fire was the department’s top priority, Shadic said, and responders to the scene mounted an “aggressive exterior attack� to prevent the flames from spreading.

An effort was also made to rescue animals trapped inside the buildings. Shadic said there was some success with evacuation, but that some livestock returned to the burning building and were trapped there. The fire chief said there were approximately 80 cattle on the farm, and that an estimated 35 were lost in the fire.

The rest have since been moved off the property.

Snook Hill Farm is owned by Paul and Nancy Miller, who have not been available for comment.

When barns catch fire, they tend to burn fast and hard, the fire chief said.

“Barns are notorious for producing large open flames,�Shadic said. “Once it starts, there’s no stopping it.�

Hay and wood are highly combustible, Shadic said, and tin roofs tend to trap the flames. Single-digit temperatures and strong winds also made this a particulary hard fire to fight.

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