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Former Grabill chicken farm destroyed by massive fire

 GRABILL, Ind. (WANE) – The former home of the Sauder Chicken Farm was destroyed by a massive fire Friday morning.

Firefighters from multiple departments were called around 4:15 a.m. after several motorists dialed 911.

The first crews who arrived found heavy smoke and flames coming from an outbuilding. Crews hit the fire with tens-of-thousands of gallons of water, but they did not get most of the flames out until around 6:15 a.m.

Firefighters expected to be on scene through the morning.

The property sits just north of R3 Composites at 14325 Roth Road, just northeast of Grabill.

Joe Schwartz, the property owner, said the building used to house the Sauder Chicken Farm several decades ago. Schwartz said most recently he had used the building as his workshop. He said several of his work tools and other items were inside, including an ATV.

The building is destroyed and several areas of the roof had collapsed.

Schwartz told 24-Hour News 8’s sister station WANE he thought the fire started because raccoons chewed through electrical wires in the attic. He said they had been in the attic recently.

Fire officials have not commented on a possible cause, and fire investigators had yet to enter the structure as of 7 a.m. Friday.

Firefighters were able to protect the home that sits on the property. The home is approximately 50 feet from the outbuilding and firefighters continuously sprayed water on the corner of the burning building to prevent flames from jumping to the house.

A barn on the opposite of the property roughly the same distance away also was not damaged by any fire.

Firefighters from at least six departments were called to provide water with tanker trucks and for manpower assistance. A parade of tankers, some carrying 3,000 gallons of water, continuously dumped water into a temporary holding pond which was then pumped to several hoses. Crews also used a nearby fire hydrant for water.

A towering aerial truck poured water from above as several hoses attacked the flames from the ground.

One firefighter was treated for exhaustion. He was checked out and cleared by a paramedic.

Northeast Fire and EMS, St. Joe Township Fire Rescue, Huntertown, Spencerville, New Haven Adams Township, Woodburn fire departments, and the Allen County Sheriff’s Department assisted at the scene.