Fire Destroys Barn; Animals & Homeowners Safe (Saturday, June 21, 2025)

View upon arrival by First Assistant Chief Andy Ryan at 83 Toddy Hill Road.

All five Newtown companies were dispatched at 16:19 Saturday to a reported barn fire at 83 Toddy Hill Road, within Sandy Hook’s district.

SHVFR First Assistant Chief Andy Ryan was first on scene and confirmed a 40 by 40-foot wood frame barn was 50% involved in fire and heavy smoke. Two vehicles, a horse trailer, and a wood frame dwelling were exposures, with heat damage to all.

First Assistant Chief Ryan assumed command at that time. Sandy Hook Tankers 9 and 449 and Engine 441 also responded to the scene with crews; Engine 442 responded to one of the water fill sites.

The second story of the barn collapsed shortly after arriving firefighters.

Botsford Engine 551 was first on the scene, and pulled into the driveway. Units stretched three lines to protect the exposures and knock down the fire.

A Town excavator was requested to the scene, and used to pull apart the building and straw hay inside the building, completing extensive overhaul.

Approximately 55,000 gallons of water were used. Water was taken from a suppression tank on Quarry Ridge and a hydrant on Turnberry Lane.

Approximately 40 firefighters responded to the scene. Southbury and Stevenson/Monroe also responded to the scene, as did two County Coordinators and two fire marshals. Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps and a paramedic were also at the scene.

There were no injuries to the homeowners nor any firefighters. All animals were also safely out of the barn and accounted for.

Bethel, Brookfield, Monroe/Stepney, Oxford, and Southbury all provided station coverage for the town.

Toddy Hill Road was closed between its intersections with Still Hill and Longview roads. Sandy Hook Fire Police and Newtown Police detoured traffic around the fire scene.

Firefighters cleared at 19:42.