About 100 firefighters from nine companies battled a two-alarm blaze Monday that destroyed a barn in Leacock Township.

Intercourse Fire Chief Steve Diener said the fire, which started on the second floor of the two-story wooden structure, has been ruled accidental, although officials are not saying how it started.

Diener said loss is $200,000 for the building and $30,000 for its contents.

No animals were kept in the barn, which was used mainly to store hay and farm equipment, he said.

Diener said the fire was "very progressed" when the first firefighters arrived at the scene around 1:45 p.m., with the second floor fully encompassed by heavy flames and billowing smoke.

While en route to the scene, Diener said, he spotted the blaze from about a mile away and immediately requested a second alarm.

He said crews mounted an exterior attack on the fully involved structure and used tankers to shuttle water to the area, which has no hydrants.

Diener said it took crews about two hours to knock down the blaze and said Monday's cool temperatures aided firefighters in their efforts.

The barn, at 90 S. New Holland Road, is owned by Wilmer Riehl. Diener said Riehl was out in a field baling hay when the fire started.

A house, the main cattle barn and several outbuildings on the property did not sustain any damage from the fire, he said.

Diener said firefighters were assisted at the scene by personnel from Martin Mulch Products of Ephrata and Scenic Ridge Construction of Gordonville who helped pull the remains of the barn apart so fire crews could soak down the wood.

Assisting at the scene Monday were fire companies from White Horse, Gordonville, Gap, Kinzer, Bird-in-Hand, Christiana, New Holland and Witmer along with Medic 9 and ambulances from White Horse and Gordonville.

E-mail: jtodd@lnpnews.com