OXFORD – Both firemen and farmers came to the rescue of a neighbor Tuesday night when his barn caught on fire with about 65 dairy cows trapped inside.

The homeowner credited the Oxford Fire Department, neighbors and fellow farmers for stopping the hay fire before it destroyed the whole barn.

At approximately 5:30 p.m., dairy farmer Jeff Locke said he decided to go out to his barn, located at 622 Buckley Hollow Road in the Town of Oxford, to move some hay.

“The timing was right. I was upstairs in the hay mow and I thought I smelled smoke and when I looked around, I could see smoke rolling up through the boards,” said Locke.

Locke said it didn’t take long for him to realize one of the round bales was engulfed in flames. He immediately ran out of the building and yelled to his wife, Betsy, who quickly dialed 911.

Locke returned to the barn and began to evacuate the 40 milking dairy cows and 25 heifers and calves inside.

Just a short distance up the road, neighbor and Brisben Volunteer Fireman Rich Northrup heard the Oxford Fire Department being toned out and immediately left for the Locke’s farm.