The cause of a fire that destroyed a barn and burned nearly an acre of land in Sidney on Monday afternoon remains unknown.

Sidney Fire Chief Richard Jandreau said that the department responded to the call at 3:37 p.m. at the home on West River Road.

All goats that use the pen were accounted for and and no injuries were reported.

Jen Smith, who has lived at the property for about a year, said that the 10-foot-by-10-foot structure was used to house three goats. Initially, it was thought that a heat lamp was the cause of the blaze, but Smith said the lamp was not on before the fire and that she called for help because the fire was spreading to the property.

Game wardens were at the property to investigate the cause of the fire, Smith said, and that about 40 people were at the scene to help put it out.

Assisting the Sidney Fire Department were firefighters from Oakland, Belgrade and Augusta Fire departments as well as officers from the fire marshals office and Maine Forestry Service.

Jandreau said that the building was destroyed in the fire and about three-quarters of an acre of land were burned by the blaze. Crews were at the scene for about an hour and a half as they worked to put out the fire and prevent it from spreading farther because of wind gusts.

Correction: It was previously reported that the cause of the fire was due to a heat lamp.

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