1

GORDON DANIELS

Firefighters battle a fire Thursday at the Allard Farm in Hadley. Officials say faulty wiring caused the blaze.

HADLEY - The fire at Allard's Farm and Goulet Trucking Thursday was accidental and caused by an electrical wiring problem, according to the state fire marshal.

The early-morning fire on South Maple Street destroyed a cow barn and storage shed and damaged a metal building used by the trucking operation.

It killed five cows and two goats and damaged the third floor of the house at 41 South Maple St.

Fire Capt. Michael Spanknebel, Building Inspector Timothy Neyhart and the state fire marshal's office are working on an estimate of the damages.

Spanknebel said the damages are more than $300,000, and a more exact estimate will probably be available by the end of the week.

- NICK GRABBE