SHAWVILLE – Last night at approximately 6:33 p.m., Goshen Township Fire Co. was dispatched to 51 Coons Road, Sancrest Farm, Goshen Township, to the Frank “Bud” Sankey residence, for an agriculture building fire, which is a working dairy farm.
Clearfield EMS were on scene minutes after the dispatch, reporting a working barn fire. Goshen Fire Co. Chief Justin Kovalick was en route to the scene on Goshen Road and could see the fire and smoke, and contacted 911 requesting a second alarm assignment.
Along with Goshen Township firefighters, there were 40 firefighters from two counties that were on scene to fight the blaze. Those firefighters were from Clearfield Borough fire and fire police, Lawrence Township fire companies, Mill Road, Hyde and Glen Richey fire companies, Curwensville Fire Co., Chester Hill Hose Co., Bigler-Jackson-Woodland Fire Co., Morris Township Fire Co., Karthaus Fire Co., Lecontes Mills Fire Co. and fire police, Hope Fire Co., and state police at Clearfield. Houtzdale Fire Co. was called to assist with overhaul.
The Clearfield Animal Rescue Team assisted at the scene with its portable corral, as team members helped move the cattle into several trailers to transport them to different farms in Centre County. Eighteen cattle perished in the fire. Also assisting was Clearfield County EMA. The American Red Cross provided food and drinks, and Scotto’s Pizzeria of Clearfield provided food.
Two fill sites were established for water supply for the tanker shuttle. BJW Fire Co. established the first site at Trout Run, while Lecontes Mills and Clearfield Station No. 1 established the second one on the Susquehanna River, west of the Shawville Generator Station. As of press time, the cause of the fire had not been determined and there is no current damage estimate. The building is insured. The fire marshal has been contacted to determine the cause of the fire. The barn and contents, including a milking parlor, were destroyed.
Firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to two other structures that were in close proximity to the barn. The barn was an older, beam-building construction. Non-milking cows were left at the scene with Clearfield County EMA providing two water buffaloes for them
By Bill Woolworth Correspondent, The Progress News, PA