Firefighters Investigate Several Suspicious Fires at Pheasant Farm in Salem

Firefighters are investigating several suspicious fires at Bordeau's Pheasant Farm in Salem, including two on Wednesday alone.

The Gardner Lake Volunteer Fire Department responded to the farm at 343 Old Colchester Road at 6:25 p.m. Wednesday and found a 20-foot-by-20-foot pheasant coop fully engulfed in flames, Dep. Chief John Cunningham said

Inside the coop, there were 24 20-pound cylinders of propane, but they did not explode, Cunningham said, however, some gas escaped. 

Crews from nine departments responded to the farm and had the fire under control in about 45 minutes.

The farm has been closed since last year and there are no people or birds on it. 

Now officials are investigating six suspicious fires.

In the spring, there were two brush fires on the property.

The recent string of fires started with one reported at 1:50 p.m. on Aug. 24. The second was reported at 2:50 p.m. on Tuesday Aug. 30, when another chicken coop was on fire.

Earlier on Wednesday, firefighters were called to the farm at 11:16 a.m. for a fire.

Anyone with information about these fires should call Detective Fratellenico at 860-465-5456, the confidential crime tip hotline at 860-465-5469, or text TIP711 with the information to 274637.

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