ATWATER — Fire departments from seven communities responded to a barn fire on Wilkes Road Friday night.
Flames were coming through the roof when first units reached the scene at 5712 Wilkes Road.
Several pigs housed in the barn were removed unharmed.
The barn held approximately 600 bales of hay and crews worked with pitchforks to remove the hay from the barn, and an excavator was used to remove the last of the hay.
The barn was a total loss, estimated at $135,000 according to Chief Mel Russell.
Along with Atwater, firefighters from Randolph, Rootstown, Deerfield, Edinburg, Suffield and Ravenna Township were on hand.
About an hour and a half into fighting the fire, the Atwater department received a call about a natural gas leak.
Deerfield, which was on scene with a squad for firefighters, responded with an engine and manpower to check out the gas leak.
About 19 minutes later, Russell said, Atwater got a request for the medical squad. Deerfield’s squad responded to the call.