SYRACUSE, Ind. (WOWO): A fire destroyed a barn at Lakeland Animal Clinic in Syracuse on Wednesday and killed dozens of animals.

Four different fire departments fought the blaze on State Road 13 that started around 5 p.m. The barn was fully engulfed in flames when they arrived and it was too hot for firefighters to enter, Turkey Creek Fire Chief Mickey Scott told News Now Warsaw.

He says while all of the people and some animals were able to escape the barn, about 40 chickens, 8 cats and a dog perished inside. Several pieces of equipment and bales of hay were destroyed.

The clinic itself was not damaged.

Scott says the cause of the fire is under investigation.