Prospect Barn Fire Kills Scores Of Therapy Animals, Chief Says

OUTLOOK A barn fire on Spring Road killed the therapy animals Friday night, officials said.

The Avenue Fire Department said they responded to a barn fire in the Spring Road neighborhood on Friday around 11:25 p.m. and found the animals still inside the structure.

Firefighters and bystanders tried to remove the animals, but "intense heat and wind-driven flames prevented rescue," the department said in a statement. The fire was quickly extinguished and no one was injured in the incident.

According to Police Chief Mike Gustaferri, the city fire department is investigating the incident.

About 60 of the animals killed in the devastating fire belonged to Kelly's Kids, an animal-assisted therapy program, said Kelly Cronin, the barn's owner. According to him, the fire destroyed the 40-year-old barn and turned it into rubble.

Cronin said he wanted his animals to sleep in the barn Friday night because of the low temperatures. He said he placed the heat lamp out of reach of the animals, knowing they would "probably tear it apart".

Around 11:20 p.m., Cronin said a family member told him the barn was on fire. He said he went to the burning building with his son, who kicked in the door in an attempt to free the animals. But it was too late: the flames had reached such a point that the animals inside could no longer be saved.

"When we got there, the flames were in the air," Cronin said by phone on Saturday. "We couldn't do anything. We lost everything. I lost all my animals.'

Cronin, who founded the nonprofit Kelly's Kids in 2014, said she has alpacas, sheep, goats, ducks, turkeys, horses and mini-donkeys. Through the therapy program, the animals have helped many children, especially adopted children, says Cronin.

He told the story of a 9-year-old boy who worked with the program. "He's 16 now and about to finish high school," Cronin said. "It wouldn't be all that without us and the animals."

She tearfully says the sudden loss of her animals is "absolutely devastating".

A GoFundMe account has been created to support Cronin's organization. In less than 12 hours, the fundraiser has already raised more than $36,000 of its projected $75,000.

"The farm was a central part of the Cronin family and the Kelly children," says the GoFundMe website. "There were a lot of childhood memories."

austin.mirmina@hearstmediact.com