A fire broke out at the sawmills at Watchtower Farms in WallKill, New York on Friday. Three separate fire departments in the region spent most of the afternoon fighting the blaze.
Wood stored at the saw mill was used for the farm’s agricultural operation and has been in use since the 1960’s. The fire consumed the structure and its contents.
The saw mill is located about a mile from the residential and office complexes used by the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Firefighters had difficulty reaching the structure to quench the flames using water they trucked in from nearby.
“There is no indication of injury to either people or livestock and all Watchtower personnel on site have been accounted for,” said a statement from the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated.
The huge farm is located 90 miles North of New York City, in the small town of Shawangunk, near the hamlet of Wallkill. It was purchased on January 2, 1963 and has been used to grow fruits, vegetables, and produce poultry, pork, beef, and dairy products.
Although the produce is used to feed headquarter staff, none of it is not used to feed the poor within the religious group.
