A farmer lost three cows and two calves to a barn fire in northwest suburban Woodstock Thursday night.
The fire broke out about 9 p.m. at 4216 McAuley Rd. in Woodstock at a barn-like structure, according to Woodstock Fire Capt. Gene Fankey.
Though firefighters were able to rescue most of the cattle inside the barn, three cows and two calves died during the fire, Fankey said.
An older woman who lives on the property was disturbed by the incident, and will keep the surviving cattle fenced in, Fankey said.
Firefighters contained the fire to the barn, though there was another structure right next to it, Fankey said.
Nobody was home when the fire started, and no people were injured. The fire was extinguished about 11:15 p.m., Fankey said.
A person on the scene estimated the loss of the barn and the five cattle to be approximately $5,000.
A short time earlier, Woodstock firefighters were on the scene of a fire near Pleasant Valley Road and Sunset Road, Fankey said.
That fire started about 8 p.m. at vacant property where an old farm used to be. However, the barn and farm burned down on the property 20 to 25 years ago, and only a milk house remained, Fankey said.
It was the milk house that caught fire Thursday night, but crews from Union took over and were able to extinguished the blaze, saving the all-stone structure, Fankey said.
The origin and cause of both fires remain under investigation Thursday night.
Copyright 2006, Chicago Sun-Times Inc.
