Two fire departments responded to the barn fire located just north of Ellsworth, near Interstate 35 on Saturday afternoon.

The Ellsworth fire department responded to the fire quickly, with four vehicles and 10 people from the department. They were followed shortly by the Jewell fire department with another 10 fire fighters and three more fire vehicles.

There was nothing they could do.

According to Duane Hendrickson, Jewell fire department chief, the barn was fully engulfed when they arrived. The barn, full of turkeys, was considered a total loss.

“By the time I was 10 miles out, I could see the smoke,” said Hendrickson, “We were there pretty quick, but the trusses were already well involved, and part of the roof had already collapsed.”

Ellsworth Fire Chief, Jayson Evans, said one of the employees reported the fire, when one of the sensors indicated there was a problem.

“We think it started in the center of the building, near the utility room,” said Evans.

Evans said one of the family members, Ben Slinger, arrived on the scene while the crews were trying to fight the flames, and determined it was a total loss. At that point the two crews worked to contain the spread of the fire.

According to the Hamilton County Assessors site, and confirmed by Evans the property was owned by Nathan and Betsy Hill, who are part of the Circle Hill Association, a family owned business.

The barn which housed the turkeys was a finishing barn, said Evans.

The source of the fire has not yet been determined.