SMETHPORT (EC) – About 45 firefighters from five area
departments battled a barn fire Wednesday morning in Norwich
Township which claimed the life of a cow and several chickens.

Roy Corbett, chief of the Norwich Township Volunteer Fire
Department, said that when firefighters arrived on scene at the
Kenneth Doutt farm at 2090 West Valley Road in Crosby around 8
a.m., the structure was fully involved.

“The barn was a complete loss,” Corbett said. Hay that was
stored in the barn was lost, but Corbett said that a tractor was
saved.

Officials said there were no injuries in the fire.

Firefighters shuttled water from a source near the Crosby
Crossroads and filled the three portable tanks.

Corbett added that since the cause of the fire has not been
determined, he has requested that the state police fire marshal
conduct a probe.

Kane-based state police said Wednesday night that damage to the
100 foot by 32 foot barn is estimated at $150,000.

In addition to the Norwich Township, firefighters and apparatus
from Smethport, Star Hose in Port Allegany, Eldred Township and
Emporium answered the mutual aid alarm and responded to the scene,
as did Priority Care Ambulance. Meanwhile, the Clermont Volunteer
Fire Department remained on stand-by at the Norwich Township
firehall in Crosby. Eldred Borough was also on stand-by. Some
firefighters were still at the site at 2 p.m.

Auxiliary members of the Norwich Township provided refreshments
for the firefighters after they left the scene.

Fire policemen from the Norwich Township, Smethport and Eldred
Township handled traffic control.