UNION — A livestock barn on North Union Road collapsed early Thursday, trapping several cows and killing as many as five others, following a storm that brought snow and rain to the region.
The collapse was one of several — including one in neighboring Washington — reported across Maine as buildings buckled under the weight of water-saturated snow.
Jay Feyler, the town manager and public information officer in Union, said Thursday the town’s Fire Department was at the scene of the collapse at Green Meadow Farm until about 2 p.m.
Felyer said via email that more than 30 animals were rescued, but four and possibly a fifth were killed.
“Many local farmers arrived to assist in getting the animals out,” Feyler wrote. “The fire chief (Kevin Soule) arranged for a local contractor to bring in an excavator to assist in moving the barn and removing the deceased animals.”
Feyler said the cause of the collapse had yet to be determined Thursday.
The owners of Green Meadow Farm posted their thanks on Facebook for the neighbors and emergency workers who helped following the collapse.
“We don’t want people to worry,” the farm owners posted. “We have help coming at daylight. Thank you for your continued support.”
Green Meadow Farm raises grass-fed beef, and pasture-raised pork and poultry.
Chief Phil Meunier of the Washington Fire Department said Thursday his department had already responded at 4 a.m. to the barn collapse when firefighters were called to a house on North Union Road in Washington at about 8 a.m. for a reported garage collapse.
The wet, heavy snow came off the upper roof of the house and landed on the attached garage, causing the collapse, Meunier said. The house was not damaged.
Meunier said he could not tell, but he did not think anything valuable had been stored in the garage. No one was injured in the collapse.
In Topsham, The Dome at Coastal Maine Storm also collapsed Thursday morning. The indoor sports facility rented out field space for baseball, lacrosse, field hockey and other activities.
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