MASON, N.H. —
Lightning is suspected of sparking a fire at a cattle farm in Mason early Thursday morning.
The fire broke out at New England Wagyu at Hilltop Farms. According to the company’s website, the farm raises more than 300 Wagyu cattle across New Hampshire, including in Mason.
Hunter Weston, the top farmhand at Hilltop, said he was asleep in the home when lightning struck the barn.
“It sounded like a bomb went off when it hit the barn,” Weston said. “It was a pretty loud experience.”
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Neighbors said they heard and saw the lightning strike, too.
“We assumed it was just a pretty huge lightning strike pretty close to our house,” neighbor Cameron Carr said.
“It was so loud, the whole house shook,” neighbor Rachel Dupuis said.
The Mason EMS captain said no one was injured in the fire that started around 1:30 a.m.
A News 9 crew at the scene saw an aerial ladder spraying water onto the building from above as heavy smoke billowed from the structure. Firefighters were later seen inside the building with flashlights.
Fire departments from Mason, Brookline, Greenville, Wilton, Temple, New Ipswich, Hollis and Ashby, along with Souhegan Mutual Aid in New Hampshire, responded to the fire. Crews from Pepperell and Townsend, Massachusetts, also assisted.
Weston said all of the cattle are accounted for. He also said workers had packaged about $50,000 worth of Wagyu products for the holiday weekend on Wednesday.
“Today was the day I realized life changes pretty quickly. Don’t take anything for granted,” Weston said.
The barn also housed the farm store.
“Obviously, the store, which was once this open spot, will be closed until further notice,” said sales director and manager Morgaine O’Connor. “But we’re working on setting up a temporary option as we work on rebuilding.”
O’Connor said she has never seen anything like it.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think something like this was going to happen,” she said.
Officials said the fire remains under investigation.