A South Simcoe police officer is being credited with stopping a barn fire in Innisfil before it could endanger dozens of animals.
Police said Constable Colin Niewels responded to reports of a fire near Innisfil Beach Road at about 11:10 p.m. Wednesday. Arriving within minutes, he found heavy smoke pouring from a barn housing 45 sheep and 16 cattle.
Using a fire extinguisher from his cruiser, Niewels entered the barn and managed to contain the flames at their source before the fire could spread further.
Firefighters from Innisfil later arrived to fully extinguish the remaining hotspots and clear smoke from the structure. Nearby farmers also assisted in moving some of the animals to safety.
Authorities confirmed the barn was saved, no people or livestock were injured, and investigators do not believe the fire was suspicious.