(First InMaricopa) A large fire broke out tonight at the Milky Way Dairy Farm on the outskirts of Maricopa, destroying a barn and continuing to burn late into the night.

The blaze was reported around 6:30 p.m. and drew a response from multiple volunteer fire departments and Maricopa Fire, who was there in a supporting role. Crews were on the scene for several hours, but as of late evening, no water had been sprayed on the flames, according to eyewitness reports.

The barn seemed to be fueled by bails of hay, although exactly what was inside is still unclear.

One fire official on scene told InMaricopa that he didn’t know what caused the fire, and wouldn’t answer any more questions, saying he needed to get to the scene. InMaricopa reached out to fire officials for more details on the blaze.

Milky Way Dairy is a major agricultural operation in the area, caring for more than 35,000 cows. The family-owned and operated farm is also the site of a renewable energy project that produces enough renewable natural gas each year to power thousands of homes or fuel a fleet of trucks, according to the company’s website. The gas is distributed as renewable transportation fuel and delivered into a Southwest Gas pipeline, a process that began in the first quarter of 2023.

Nacelle Solutions, a company specializing in renewable energy infrastructure, was awarded the contract to supply the upgrading equipment for the facility and continues to oversee its operation and maintenance.

It was not immediately clear whether the fire impacted any part of the RNG facility.

The dairy is owned by the de Jong family, who have roots in dairy farming dating back to the 1600s, according to the family’s bio on their website. They emphasize “sustainable innovation” as part of their ongoing efforts to preserve their agricultural legacy in Pinal County.