A devastating fire destroyed a barn and all of its contents on Hill Road in Marlborough Township on Saturday afternoon.

Firefighters battle a fully-involved barn fire in Marlborough Township on Saturday afternoon.  Nine companies responded to the call.

            Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 5:04 p.m. in the 600 block of Hill Road, near the intersection of Zepp Road, in the township.  Nobody was home at the time of the fire which was reported by a neighbor.

            Both Hill and Zepp Roads are mostly single-lane and unpaved.  Winding through a heavily forested area presented firefighters with challenges.

            The location is prohibitive to ferrying in aerial trucks to the scene of the fire as well as facilitating the transport of water, via tanker trucks, from remote water sources. 

            At the height of the fire water was taken from the Unami Creek at Sumneytown Pike near Zepp Road, over a mile away.  Sumneytown Pike was closed from Ridge Road and Old Skippack Road to Main Street in Sumneytown during the call. 

            Green Lane Chief Ryan Crouthamel arrived on the scene four minutes after the dispatch.  He confirmed that the 50-foot by 50-foot, two story building was fully involved in flames and immediately called for additional fire company tanker trucks to supply water to the scene to supplement that brought in with units initially dispatched.

            Crouthamel said that the fire didn't present any immediate danger to a nearby home and wooded area and the volunteer firefighters were quick to contain it using four hose-lines and a water deck-gun from Green Lane's squad unit.

            He added that at least 70 fire, fire police and EMS personnel responded to the call and that "everyone worked well together."

            The fire was declared under control at 5:40 p.m.  Firefighters were on the scene for an additional three hours to overhaul the debris and extinguish hot-spots.

            The structure, of stone and wood construction with a metal roof, was destroyed along with several vehicles that were stored in it.  No damage estimate was available.

            According to Montgomery County property records, the building is owned by Gregory Shoemaker.

            There were no reported injuries and the cause of the fire is under investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshall.

            Assisting Green Lane at the call were volunteer fire company units from Harleysville, Lower Frederick, New Hanover, Pennsburg, Red Hill, Trappe, Tylersport, Upper Frederick, and Upper Salford from Montgomery County, and Trumbauersville from Bucks County.

            Emergency medical services units from Harleysville Area Emergency Medical Services and Upper Perkiomen Valley Ambulance Association also responded.

            Fire units from Souderton and Towamencin stood by at Green Lane firehouse.  Firefighters from East Greenville Fire Company were on stand-by at their station to cover Pennsburg and Red Hill calls.

            Green Lane Fire Company firefighters and fire police returned to the firehouse at 8:50 p.m.