A barn at 3105 Countyline Road, Darien, was destroyed in an overnight fire that required firefighters from eight area fire companies to be on scene from just before 2 to just after 6 a.m.
Darien Fire Department, with mutual aid from Corfu, Alexander, Pembroke, Indian Falls, Crittenden, Bennington, Alden and Batavia City's FAST Team all responded to the scene, along with Emergency Management Services and Mercy EMS.
Trustees from Attica prison responded to help with clean up once the fire was out.
The intial call came in at 1:53 a.m. The barn was reportedly "already on the ground" according to a Darien chief when first arriving on scene.
The cause of the fire has not been determined.
UPDATE: The property is owned by J. Daniel Oles and Jane M. Oles. The cause remains unknown, possibly electrical or overheated damp hay. The barn is described as a storage barn. It contained an Allis Chalmers Combine, John Deere Round Bailer, corn planter, three freezers, tools and supplies for the farm. There was no natural gas or propane run to the barn, electricity only. The barn was last entered at 8 p.m by Andrew Oles, who saw or smelled nothing out of the ordinary. The initial caller reported seeing the second floor "lit up and on fire" when she called. Alden firefighters were first on scene.
