A warming pen intended for chicks was the apparent cause of a fire Thursday afternoon at Willow Lane Farm in Harmony.

Fire Chief Onie Lougee said Monday the fire at 30 South Merrill Road occurred in the section of the building that connects the main house to the barn.

In a message posted Sunday on Facebook, the Magoon family — Keith and LouAnn and Joshua and Kellie — said the fire at their farm was “devastating,” causing severe damage to the farmhouse and destroying the farm store, freezers and a large amount of meat.

“Fortunately,” they said, no people, pets or livestock were injured. And thanks to the firefighters, the barn was not damaged.

“There were 11 departments that responded,” Lougee said, “and they were all a great help.”

Among those who responded to the fire, reported at 1:33 p.m. Thursday: Firefighters from Athens, Harmony, Cambridge, Madison, Skowhegan, Norridgewock, Canaan, St. Albans and Dexter.

Lougee said crews left the scene at about 8 p.m.

The Magoon family Willow Lane Farm will be closed until further notice while they restock as quickly as possible. They hope to resume their market schedules at the Skowhegan Farmers’ Market and the Farmers Market at Mill Park in Augusta in a few weeks.

Willow Lane Farm is a sixth- and seventh-generation family farm that began in 1825, according to information provided by the Skowhegan Farmers’ Market. The family raises Scottish Highland cattle and sells breeding stock and grass-fed beef.

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