Two barn fires are deemed suspicious after the structures burned to the ground southeast of Milverton Thursday night.
The first fire was reported around 11:00pm on Line 61 east of Perth Rd 129.
The fire destroyed the barn as well as the 20 cows, 4 horses and 120 goats that were inside.
Then around midnight, while the Perth East fire department was fighting the barn blaze, a bystander noticed that a barn on a neighbouring property east of the original blaze had caught fire.
As fire fighting crews turned their attention to that second fire, they attempted to evacuate the dairy cattle inside but structure was quickly engulfed. It is unknown how many animals were lost in this fire.
Both fires are suspicious in nature until deemed otherwise and the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office has been notified with an investigation is in its early stages.
There is on damage estimate at this time.
The Perth County OPP is requesting citizens to contact them if any suspicious person, behaviour or vehicles were observed in the area of Line 61 prior to the fires.
The OPP can be contacted at 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), and you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000