The Southbury Volunteer Fire Department responded to a reported RV fire along Route 6 at approximately 8:30 a.m. Friday morning just outside of the historic Benjamin Stiles Barn.
According to the property owner, he had been attempting to free the recreational vehicle after it became stuck in mud when the fire started. No injuries were reported.
SVFD Assistant Fire Chief Robert Barnes said the RV fire was “fully involved” upon his arrival.
“We had some exposure issues with the barn and its location,” Barnes said. “We didn’t want the fire to extend to the exposure.”
While the recreational vehicle was not salvageable, mutual aid tankers were brought in from Woodbury as a precaution to ensure the flames did not spread to the adjacent historic structure.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze without damage to the barn.
The Benjamin Stiles Barn – built around 1690 – is recognized as one of the oldest barns in Southbury. It remains part of the Ragland Farm property, which is protected under the state’s Farmland Preservation Program and located within Southbury’s Main Street Historic District.
Morning travelers coming from Southbury were re-routed via Mansion House Road, and the roads were clear by 10:15 a.m.
By Evan Triantafilidis
The Southbury Record 