SHILOH, Ill. – A more than 50-year-old barn in Shiloh, Illinois, burned to the ground Wednesday morning, killing five goats.
Three of the goats were kid goats. Kay Good, the homeowner, said the goats were penned up for bonding time since they were just born over the New Year’s weekend.
“We suspect one of the goats kicked over a space heater to keep them warm,” said Chief Brad White for the O’Fallon Fire Rescue.
Hay in the barn fed the fire while it was raining, which presented unique challenges for the O’Fallon Fire Rescue firefighters.
“Rain and mud present those challenges that some (firefighters are not familiar with),” White said.
White said that anytime animals are involved in fires, it can make things tricky.
“It kind of goes to that whole risk versus gain,” he said. “Do we risk the firefighters to save the animals?”
It’s not the first time a fire has been started by an animal knocking over a space heater in Shiloh.
“A couple winters back, a dog in a kennel knocked over a space heater that started a fire,” White said.
The homeowner said the Shiloh community has already offered her food, extra hay, and a place to help store her animals.