Historic UConn Barn Destroyed by Fire; Investigation Ongoing

STORRS, CT — An historic barn that can be traced back to the University of Connecticut's roots as an agricultural school was destroyed on a Monday night fire. Investigators were at the scene Tuesday morning in an effort to determine what happened.

At 10:56 p.m., the UConn 911 center received two phone reports of a fire at the Landscape Barn, located at 3638 Horsebarn Hill Road Extension, UConn spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said. The barn was built in 1922.

One caller was reporting a fire, the other was reporting smoke, she said.

Upon arrival, UConn police and fire department units found the structure on fire and immediately started a second alarm to bring mutual aid resources. Support was provide by Willimantic, Willington, Coventry, Mansfield, and Tolland fire departments, Reitz said.

Due to extent of the fire and a downed power line, firefighters took a defensive posture and went at it from all four sides and began protecting the nearby buildings, Reitz said. Crews from Connecticut Natural Gas, Eversource, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and multiple UConn offices and departments were also called in.

At about 2 a.m., the main body of fire had been extinguished but firefighters had to contend with "a long period" of fighting smaller fires, Reitz said. At about 4 a.m., the fire was declared under control, with mutual aid units released and UConn fire units still extinguishing hot spots.

The building was destroyed, along with the landscaping equipment, tools, and office space inside, Reitz said. No injuries were reported.

Rumors ran rampant on social media that the UConn Dairy Bar was on fire. University officials quickly dispelled the rumors on Monday night.

As of Tuesday morning, UConn officials expected nearby buildings to be open on their normal schedules, including the Dairy Bar. Some detours might be in place, Reitz said.

"I can't overstate how well all of the fire crews did in containing this fire to one building. Given the fact that several buildings are clustered together there, it easily could have spread if not for their hard work and the early 911 calls we got from passing motorists who saw the flames and smoke from Route 195," Reitz said. "Given UConn's size and national academic standing now, it can sometimes be easy to forget that its roots were as a modest agricultural college. Buildings such as this barn were part of that, and losing it is very unfortunate."

Investigators from the UConn Police Department, UConn Fire Department, and State Police are conducting a coordinated investigation for cause and origin, Reitz said.

Photo Credit: UConn