The Walter Young family of Flaggy Meadow Road has been running an active milk farm at this location for many years. On Tuesday, August 9, the historic 200-year-old barn burned down, but Gorham firefighters with assistance from Windham, Buxton, Standish, Westbrook and Scarborough Fire Departments were able to save two homes, a milk room, the garage, another barn in close proximity and all but 6 of approximately 50 cows. Most of the stock were in the pasture at the time of the fire. There were also 20 heifers (cows too young to be milked) on the property.
Gorham Fire Chief Ken Fickett thinks the probable cause of the fire was with the electrical service in the barn, which was totally destroyed.
The Gorham Fire Department was contacted at about 8:41 p.m. and a firefighter responded within about four minutes with Chief Fickett arriving two minutes later. The barn was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. The Youngs had instantly called the Fire Department when the lights in their house flickered. Approximately 5,500 bales of hay had been stored in the barn. Gorham firefighters helped rescue several cows who had been on the basement floor. A few cows remain at the farm with others going to Pineland Farm and to Wormell Farm. Other farmers have shown up to help provide care for the cows.
Gorham Public Works and Gorham Sand and Gravel arrived at 2 a.m. to help move debris so firefighters could contain the fire. The barn was insured but the amount of the insurance is not likely to be sufficient to cover the cost of rebuilding.
The Young family told Chief Fickett that “they were very pleased that the other buildings on the property had been saved and very pleased with the assistance from all the mutual aid partners who responded.” The one bright spot is that all of the cows would have been in the barn for milking if the fire had started earlier.
Chief Fickett said he hoped the community will step up with a barn raising, noting that “given the history of the farm community in Gorham, they likely will.” In the days since the fire, that has proven to be the case. At the time of this printing, many have already helped with clean up and donations have been raised through a Go Fund Me campaign at the Farm’s Facebook page. Anyone wishing to donate to the Young family for the barn rebuild can also make checks payable to Flaggy Meadow Farm, and send them to 172 Flaggy Meadow Road, Gorham, ME 04038.
