3 sheep perish in Rowe barn fire

ROWE — Three sheep died in a barn fire that was called in at 2:52 a.m. on Sunday.

Fire Chief Dennis Annear said no humans were harmed by the two-alarm blaze at 51 Middletown Hill Road and his crew returned to the Fire Station by 8 a.m. after extinguishing the fire. A ram, a ewe and a lamb perished in the barn.

As of Monday morning, Annear said the fire’s cause is unknown. Representatives from the homeowners’ insurance company were expected to come on Tuesday. Annear said the homeowners were safe inside their residence, an estimated 40 feet from the barn, when the fire started.

Rowe received assistance from its mutual aid partners, the fire and rescue departments of Charlemont, Shelburne, Buckland, Colrain, Heath and Florida, as well as Halifax, Wilmington, Readsboro and Whitingham in Vermont. The Rowe Police Department also responded.

“We don’t get to train as much as we should together,” Annear said. “It was a good exercise to get everybody together and work together, and put the system to the test.”

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.

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