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Barn Fire at Well Known Farm In Lycoming County

MUNCY CREEK TOWNSHIP — The alarm at Styer’s farm came in just after 11 p.m. Monday. A barn at Styer’s Farm on Shady Lane in Muncy Creek Townsh...

MUNCY CREEK TOWNSHIP -- The alarm at Styer's farm came in just after 11 p.m. Monday.

A barn at Styer's Farm on Shady Lane in Muncy Creek Township had flames shooting into the sky, visible for miles.

Barn Fire at Well Known Farm In Lycoming County

"It was fire all over the place, great big fireball. It was too late to do anything.”

Smoke and charred farming equipment are about all that's left behind at Tom Styer's home at the well-known family farm near Muncy.

Family and friends sat with Styer on his porch.

Hours after the fire started, five buildings filled with farming machinery were destroyed and three horses, 22 chickens, and several rabbits were killed.

"I knew the animals were in there.  Somebody was here asking to get them out and we decided it just wasn't safe to drag them to get them out," Styer said.

The Styer family says a few barn cats and their rooster named Cockadoo survived.

Neighbors who were there even before the family say the flames started at the barn, but the wind quickly changed direction, shifting towards their storage shed and catching it on fire.

"It was just a shower of sparks took over the other building there. It went up pretty quick."

Matthew Savage of Muncy Creek Township was on his way home from work. He saw flames and came to help.

"Did what I could to move out what was here, what I had access to, and what I knew how to turn on.”

With strawberry and blueberry picking season around the corner, the family still hopes to open on time this year, with the help of neighbors.

"Getting things cleaned up, moved on, but we're going to be here."

"It's such a fixture in the community and you drive by and it's not there. You know it's kind of awkward," Savage said.

The family's market is still open. The Styers said they've been through floods, so they believe they can rebuild after this fire.

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