Fire companies from across Centre County battle blaze in Penns Valley cow barn

A Penns Valley cow barn was destroyed by a fire Tuesday morning.

Centre County fire crews were called to the 200 block of Long Lane in Penn Township at about 8:52 a.m. When the fire started one person was inside the barn but escaped, according to Dustin Auman, assistant chief of the Miles Township Fire Company.

The cows inside the barn also escaped.

Auman said the cause of the fire is still under investigation, but a heat source next to a skid steer in the barn is suspected.

With crews from across the region responding, firefighters had the fire under control by 10:45 a.m. but were expected to be on site for several hours to ensure the hay stops burning.

“What they’re spraying is actually hay matted together so it’s burning in between until we get everything completely ripped apart,” Auman said. “That’s the only way to actually put out a barn fire, it just keeps burning.”

Amish neighbors volunteered to help, pulling hoses and bringing lunches and water for firefighters at the scene.

In addition to Miles Township, other fire companies that responded include Bellefonte, Millheim, Pleasant Gap, Gregg Township, Centre Hall, Boalsburg, Alpha, Howard and crews from Clinton and Union counties. Penns Valley EMS and Mount Nittany EMS also responded and Lamar, Port Matilda and Mifflinburg fire companies provided coverage.

This story was originally published September 5, 2023 at 12:50 PM.