MEQUON, Wis. — A Mequon-area family is cleaning up after an unexpected fire spread quickly through their backyard, leveling a barn that dates back 170 years.
Robert Groth said he was making his kids an afternoon snack Wednesday afternoon when he noticed the barn was on fire. He and his wife Ashley quickly got their two sons to safety and started spraying water on the home.
"It almost looks like a war zone when you stand in the trees there," Groth said.
Despite the efforts of more than a dozen fire agencies that responded, the barn ended up being a total loss. That includes heavy machinery stored inside, farming supplies and a tractor.
Nobody was injured in the fire, but the loss of the barn is nonetheless significant. Groth said the barn was built around 1850.
WATCH: Mequon family vows to rebuild 19th century barn destroyed in fire
"It sucks that it's all down, but we can always rebuild," Groth said.
They are dealing with insurance to see about options to rebuild the structure. In the meantime, the family is remaining optimistic.
The cause for this fire is not yet clear. TMJ4 called the Southern Ozaukee Fire Department for more info, but did not immediately hear back.
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