Several animals killed in barn fire near Antioch

Several animals were killed in a barn fire that broke out near Antioch late Tuesday night, authorities said.

Tim Taylor, battalion chief at the Antioch Fire Department, said firefighters were called to the 20400 block of Miller Road at 11:56 p.m. Tuesday for a fire that started in a foyer or small barn attached to a horse amphitheater.

Taylor said the fire also threatened to spread to nearby structures and stables as firefighters arrived on scene.

"The auditorium was like a structure used by the horses to run and work out, and the front of that structure is where the fire started," Taylor said. "There was hay and other barn necessities in that area and, when it got going, it was hard to put out."

The owner of the structure was able to free the horses and several other barn animals prior to the arrival of the fire department, Taylor said. However, several other barn animals - such as chickens, rabbits and ducks - were killed in the blaze.

Taylor said a second box alarm was declared due to a lack of water in the area. He said five tanker trucks arrived from neighboring departments, and 30,000 gallons of water were used to extinguish the blaze.

He said the cause of the fire and the overall cost of damages is still under review by investigators.