WASHINGTON TWP. >> A two-alarm fire destroyed a large barn off Route 100.
At around 7:45 a.m. Friday, a passerby reported seeing flames coming out of a barn located just off Route 100 near Limekiln Road. The barn was unoccupied at the time of the blaze and no one was injured in the blaze, according to reports.
Eastern Berks Fire Chief Michael Mutter arrived shortly after dispatch and immediately requested a second alarm due to the large amount of fire, heavy winds, and the proximity of a second smaller barn and a house.
It took firefighters just over an hour to get the fire under control as neighboring fire departments assisted with water supplies.
As fire crews worked at the scene, Route 100 between Limekiln and Stauffer roads was detoured.
As of noon Friday, firefighters were still working on the scene and asking motorists to use caution in the area. Route 100 was closed for five hours and reopened just before 2 p.m. Friday.
Authorities have not yet identified a cause for the fire.
The large barn was filled with collectibles and yard sale items, and although it contained no animals, a number of miniature horses were pastured to the rear of the structure but were unharmed.
Heavy equipment was brought in to raze what was left of the steel roofed and sided barn in order to get to the seat of the fire.
Water was obtained from a large pond across Route 100, as well as a tanker fill site at the Bechtelsville station of Eastern Berks Fire.
In addition to Eastern Berks, among those responding were Boyertown, Pennsburg, East Greenville, Gilbertsville, Hereford, Seisholtsville,? Earl
and New Hanover fire companies; and Bally Medics for standby.
