Fire Levels Historic Barn [Sunday News (Lancaster, PA)]

A landmark red barn in Rapho Township burned to the ground Saturday afternoon, taking part of Joe Snavely's family history along with it. Snavely said flames were shooting from the roof by the time he came out of his house 100 feet away and realized his dairy barn at 1375 Hossler Road was on fire.

"It's dry wood and it's 200 years old," Snavely said. "It went so fast."

About 50 heifers in a nearby building were safely moved, Snavely said.

But hay and equipment stored in the old post-and-beam barn could not be salvaged.

Snavely's brother, Jerry Snavely, "made a heroic effort to rescue a 4020 John Deere tractor but I called him off," Joe Snavely said.

Several other tractors used on the 90-acre farm by Kirby Nissley and Jason Snavely, Joe Snavely's nephew, also were destroyed, Joe Snavely said.

Snavely, a farm insurance agent and former Rapho Township supervisor, estimated the equipment loss at $50,000 and the loss of the 48-by-72-foot barn at $100,000.

Firefighters were called at 1:59 p.m. and arrived to find the building beyond saving, Mastersonville Fire Company Deputy Chief Jeff Siegrist said.

Firefighters tapped water from a farm pond and focused on keeping the flames from spreading to three nearby buildings, Siegrist said.

Firefighters from about 10 companies in Lancaster and Lebanon counties responded, the deputy chief said.

The fire is believed to have started in the south end of the barn but a state police fire marshal was unable to determine the cause, Siegrist said.

The column of smoke could be seen far and wide.

Snavely said his sister-in-law was the first to spot the fire from her home a mile away.

"The fortunate thing is it's all property damage and nobody was hurt," said Snavely, who added that he plans to rebuild.

Still, said Snavely, a 55-year-old fifth-generation farmer on the property, "all my memories" are in the old German bank barn where he once milked cows for 17 years.

"It's a piece of history," noted Snavely, who said he was surrounded by about 30 family members and neighbors Saturday night.

Once fire took hold of the barn, he added, "it didn't stand a chance."

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