60 goats killed in Pittsboro barn fire

PITTSBORO, Ind. (WISH) — Investigators are trying to determine what sparked a fire that killed 60 goats, destroyed a 50-year-old barn and injured a firefighter Tuesday morning.

The Brownsburg firefighter was treated and released for a minor back injury.

Property owner Brenda Lightner said 40 of the goats killed were babies, between two days and one month old.

“It was just our foundation herd out here with Love’s Blue Ridge Farm,” she said. “I’m pretty heartbroken. Just sad.”

Lightner is a 4-H leader in Hendricks County. The goats that died helped kids learn about farm animals.

The owners said they tried to open a door to save the goats but the smoke was too thick. They suspect the heat lamps inside the barn caused the fire.

Pittsboro firefighters said they responded to a similar call last year, when heat lamps sparked another fire that killed multiple goats inside a barn. Officials are still investigating the cause of Tuesday’s fire, but they’re advising people to keep heat lamps away from animals.

Lightner said she’s not sure what she’ll do next.

“We’ll just wait and see. I still got my bucks. They weren’t in the barn.”

She’s considering building another herd with the goats that are still alive.

To do that, she’ll have to replace the barn.

Pittsboro, Avon, Brownsburg and Center Grove’s fire departments responded to the fire Tuesday. Lightner praised the firefighters for their efforts