Eastern Berks Fire and surrounding departments were dispatched shortly after 2 a.m. on Monday, July 15th for a fully involved barn fire off South 7th Street in Bally Borough.

Fire destroyed a barn off of Seventh St. in Bally borough on Monday.  .

            Chief Mike Mutter quickly arrived on scene and requested a second alarm for more personnel and additional tankers.

            The large barn contained hay and equipment but all the dairy cows were in another nearby structure and were not harmed.

            Tanker fill sites were set up in multiple locations in Bally and Washington Township.

            Excavation equipment owned by two Eastern Berks Fire Department firefighters was brought in to tear apart the wreckage and the large piles of hay bales.

            Property owners said they were awakened by loud popping sounds and saw flames and immediately dialed 911.

            Crews were on the scene for more than five hours.

            Dispatched to the scene from Berks County were fire companies from Eastern Berks, Boyertown, Earl Twp, Hereford, Seisholtzville, Topton, and Oley, from Montgomery County, Gilbertsville, Red Hill, New Hanover, East Greenville, and Pennsburg, and from Lehigh County, Upper Milford.

            Also dispatched were Gilbertsville Medics, Harleysville Ambulance and the Boyertown Salvation Army Canteen.