CRESSONA -- Four goats, a donkey and some chickens were killed when the barn they were in caught fire just before 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at 2535 Panther Valley Road, North Manheim Township.

Schuylkill Haven First Assistant Fire Chief Andy Motko said flames were coming from the barn when multiple crews arrived on the scene.

"When I showed up, it was fully involved," Motko said.

He said it took about 45 minutes for firefighters to put out the blaze. The wooden barn was completely destroyed.

"(The animals)were gone way before we ever got here," Motko said.

Motko said he did not know what caused the fire, but there were heaters in the barn.

Clay and Jenn Leibold own the property. Jenn said they were alerted to the fire when she heard a neighbor's car pull into their driveway.

"I looked out and there were flames coming out of the windows of the barn," Jenn said.

Clay said there were heaters in the barn to keep the animals and their water warm. They said they just checked on the animals about 30 minutes before the fire started.

The fire was isolated to the one barn and did not damage the larger horse barn on the property or their home. Clay said that the animals were used as part of their children's 4-H program.

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