Petrolia’s fire chief says the massive barn fire on Petrolia Line was likely started in automated feeding system.

Tuesday, firefighters from Petrolia/North Enniskillen, Brigden and Wyoming spent 18 hours at the Lennan Farm fighting a blaze which started in an old dairy barn. They were called to the scene around 3 am after a passerby noticed the barn in flames. Two of four barns were destroyed but all of the cattle in them were saved.

Lawrence Swift says the official cause of the fire will be listed as undetermined however it is most likely an electrical failure, possibly in an automated feeding system, sparked it.

Swift says well over $500,000 damage was done in the blaze. Firefighters poured an estimated 117,000 gallons of water on the barns to contain the flames.