No injuries in barn fire near Batavia

Batavia Fire Department officials are investigating the cause of a vehicle fire that set a barn ablaze at 10:30 a.m. Monday.

It took firefighters two hours to control the blaze that started when a backhoe caught fire at Stokes Excavating, 35W160 Butterfield Road, in an unincorporated area between Batavia and North Aurora.

The site is in the Batavia and Countryside Fire Protection District, which contracts for service with the Batavia department.

The fire from the backhoe spread to the second-story loft and attic of the frame barn. No one was injured, according to fire officials.

Butterfield Road was blocked for much of the morning between Mitchell/Hart Road and Pinecreek Drive.

The owner of the excavating company could not immediately be reached for comment Monday night.

Aurora Township assessment records indicate the burned barn is on a 2-acre property containing a house and a farm building. At least one of the buildings was built in 1900.

The North Aurora and Countryside Fire Protection District firefighters were first to arrive, and so North Aurora Chief Steve Miller was the incident commander.

The fire was still smoldering into the afternoon. Batavia fire officials estimate damage at about $410,000.