Plainfield barn fire leads to deaths of animals

Firefighters responded to a barn fire on Sunday, April 30, 2023, in the 600 block of Wheeler Road in unincorporated Plainfield.

Several animals died following a fire at a two-story barn in Plainfield, according to the Plainfield Fire Protection District.

At 2:51 a.m. Sunday, firefighters responded to the 600 block of Wheeler Road in unincorporated Plainfield to find a large two-story barn engulfed in heavy fire, according to a statement from the Plainfield Fire Protection District.

Mark Reynolds, Plainfield deputy fire chief, said the barn had a “whole mix of different animals,” such as goats, chickens, sheep and cows.

“A lot of these animals were family pets,” Reynolds said.

There was a home and another barn in close proximity to the barn but the fire was stopped from going to those structures, fire officials said.

The residents left the home before firefighters arrived to put out the fire. No one was injured, Reynolds said.

The two-story barn was a total loss while the residence and other barn sustained minor damage, fire officials said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.