By Shira Schoenberg
The Concord Monitor

HENNIKER, N.H. — A Henniker barn burned to the ground yesterday afternoon, engulfing two vehicles parked nearby. There were no injuries, and two horses were put out to paddock safely.

The barn, at 561 Mount Hunger Road, was behind the home of Zach and Heather Lawson, business owners in Concord who were at work when the fire broke out. "I have no idea what happened out there," Zach Lawson said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Zach Lawson said the barn had both gas and electricity and said there was a woodstove heating the insulated tack room.

The fire department got the call just after 2 p.m. yesterday from a first responder in downtown Henniker who saw black smoke. "It was fully involved when we got here," said Dick Wright, chief of the Capital Area Mutual Aid Fire Compact.

The barn fell down shortly after the fire department arrived, and by 3 p.m. it looked like a pile of charred wood. A horse trailer and pickup truck were parked next to the barn, and both were fully burned. Heather Lawson said two tractors were also destroyed by the blaze.

Because there are no hydrants nearby, trucks needed to haul water from near Pats Peak Ski Area, Wright said. The police closed the road from the intersection with Craney Hill Road to allow the six tanker trucks to drive back and forth. The two-alarm blaze drew firefighters from Henniker, Warner, Hopkinton, Bradford, Hillsboro and Weare.

The Lawsons have lived in the home for close to three years. In addition to the two horses, which were put outside yesterday morning, the couple kept a snowblower, tools, tack, horse food and other equipment in the barn. "It was packed full of stuff," Zach Lawson said.

The barn was about 70 feet from the Lawsons' home, which was not damaged. The barn and the cars were insured.

Heather Lawson rides the horses, and the couple had hoped to build riding space on the property this spring. Zach Lawson said they will call their insurance company and decide what comes next.