DAYTON — In the aftermath of a fire which destroyed a barn at the Cole family farm, a family member extends gratitude to firefighters and community members who have offered help and support.

The fire, which occurred Monday night, started in an adjacent storage trailer which contained about 70 bales of hay, according to Goodwin Mills Fire-Rescue Public Information Officer Normand Bilodeau.

“The cause remains unknown,” he said, but added that it was “most likely accidental.” The barn, he said, was “a total loss.”

The barn was part of a more than 500-acre farm complex owned by Gordon and Isolde Cole. The property has been in the Cole family for five generations.

Near the barn, Andy’s Agway opened as usual this week.

“I think the big thing we want people to know is that we’re still in business,” said owner Andy Cole.

Late Wednesday morning, the smell of smoke still hung in the air, and Cole pointed to grass behind the barn and surrounding trees that were singed brown. Family member Clark Cole was raking up some of the debris.

Gone, along with the barn, are three cars that were being stored within, as well as a forklift, tools and other equipment.

Things could have been worse, said Cole.

There were no people or animals in the barn, he said. A dump truck behind the barn was moved away from the fire and rescued from harm. The flames that scorched the grass behind the barn were extinguished before they could damage the nearby sap house and Gordon Cole’s trucks, used for his water hauling business, were not in the barn at the time of the fire.

Cole said that he wanted to thank the Goodwin Mills firefighters, as well as the departments from neighboring communities that put the fire out.

“The firefighters did a good job,” he said.

He said he would also like to thank the people who have extended kind offers of assistance.

“We’ve had a lot of offers of help,” said Cole, suddenly getting teary-eyed.

The family had very good insurance, said Cole, and an insurance agent had been at the site Tuesday.

“We’ll be cleaned up pretty soon,” he said. “We’ll have another building up before winter time.”

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.