Future Uncertain For Riverhead Farming Family After Massive Fire Destroys Barn; Fundraiser Organized To Help

RIVERHEAD, NY — Days after a massive fire ripped through a barn belonging to a longtime Riverhead farming family, the future remains uncertain.

A GoFundMe page, "Help Rebuild Wells Farm After Devastating Fire," has been created by a neighbor, owner Eric Wells said.

"On the evening hours of Wednesday, November 12, the Wells family of Wells Farm, operating since 1661, was devastated by a fire erupting within its main barn," the page said.

"The fire quickly spread to surrounding structures and decimated the operational equipment needed to sustain the work operations," the page continued. "Thankfully the courageous work of first responders and volunteers enabled some animals to exit in time to avoid any further injury. This fire has devastated the family and we are asking for any help or assistance at this time. On behalf of the family Todd, Eric and Laura, we thank you very much for the overwhelming support and love."

The Wells Farm has been family owned and operated since 1661, the page said.

Speaking with Patch Tuesday, Eric Wells said despite the family's rich farming legacy in Riverhead, the future remains uncertain.

An insurance lapse, discovered after the fire, dealt another devastating blow, he said.

"We’d like to rebuild but right now it’s not financially possible," he said.

Wells said there is one building on the property that friends have offered to "patch up" so part of that structure can be used to shelter the animals as the weather grows colder.

"Right now w’ere just trying to repurpose some of our other buildings so we can continue doing what we do," he said.

One building on the property is leased to another business, and it cannot be used currently, he said.

Wells said he's been in touch with the Roy H. Reeve Agency, but that business needs to contact the insurance carrier to see if there's any solution to the lapse issue. "Even if we just received a portion – everything helps," Wells said.

To that end, Wells said he's been poring over the numbers and, when all is said and done, at least $2 million is needed to rebuild the barn and replace everything that was inside.

Despite the anguish and worry over the future, Wells said a caring community has surrounded his family with love and support during the darkest of times.

"The love of the community is certainly an inspiration," he said. "It does make us feel good about where we're living. It's one of the things we're happy about — to know that there are still so many local people that really do care about us."

The people who've reached out with open hearts to help, Wells said, "have been a great support."

As for the animals, all are doing well in their outside pens, he said. "They're getting along with their new roommates. Now, the pigs are with the sheep."

But, with the weather getting colder and brutal winds battering the area last weekend, Wells said he hopes the one building is fixable enough so that the animals can be brought inside, which is why the offer made by friends to help make one building workable, means so much.

"I can’t stress enough how thankful we are to everyone for supporting us," Well said. "Even some of the firefighters that were there came back and offered their condolences; some of them their wives even made cookies. People have gone above and beyond what they need to do in support of us and there aren't enough words to really describe just how amazing people can be."

His family, he said, has been stressed over the tragedy; his grandmother, he said, "is very emotional. She just hopes that we can recuperate."

Hours after the fire ripped through a barn built more than 60 years ago by the Wells family in Riverhead, owners spoke about the horrifying experience.

"We are devastated," Laura Wells told Patch Thursday morning.

According to Wells, two pigs and 15 chickens were lost in the blaze, but family members and firefighters worked tirelessly to get the other farm animals, including pigs, out of the burning barn and down the hill into a pen by a large sign on the property.

Wells said she was distraught about a post made by the animal advocacy group Humane Long Island: "We met the owner, believed to be Laura Wells, and offered to render aid and pay for two veterinarians who were willing to treat the animals immediately; however, she refused and said 'They're on their way out anyway,' since it's a slaughter farm. This callous attitude is a stark reminder of how animals are treated, or in this case, not treated, in agribusiness, underscoring why we urge everyone to choose vegan," Humane Long Island wrote.

Speaking with Patch beside the ashes of the barn, Wells responded: "These are blatant lies," she said. "I never said that. They need to be held accountable."

Wells said the fact was that Humane Long Island was on the property without permission. And that she and the others "did everything we could to get the animals out. They needed to be left alone last night. They were very stressed — the noise, the smoke — they needed food and a water source. We didn't want to agitate them further by bringing their vets here," she said.

The animals had to be brought down to the pen in the cold, she said, but were fine Thursday morning, as they drank and ate in the pen with no signs of discomfort.

Humane Long Island, Wells said, posted photos without permission of their animals online and, "is using our tragedy to promote veganism."

On the issue of slaughtering the animals, Wells said: "They're making us sound heartless. This is devastating to us. We don't keep them as pets. But we're compassionate, we raise them properly and we care," she said. She added: "We respect that some people don't eat meat — and I welcome you to educate me on your beliefs. But don't push your agenda on me."

The barns, she said, hold deep meaning, her father-in-law built them in the 60s; her mother-in-law is brokenhearted.

Eric Wells, Laura's son, told Patch that his family's tragedy was compounded after a visit to their insurance company, the Roy H. Reeve Agency in Mattituck. "We were late with a payment so they canceled our insurance," he said. "This is a tragedy."

A representative of the agency did not immediately return a request for comment by Patch.

According to Riverhead Town police, at 4:55 p.m., officers responded to a report of a possible structure fire at Wells Farm, located at 4976 Sound Avenue, in Northville.

Upon the arrival, Riverhead patrol officers found that a large portion of the structure was fully engulfed.

Members of the Wells family told police that part of the structure housed a number of farm animals and with their assistance, uniformed officers entered the structure and were able to remove a number of animals to safety, officials said.

The Riverhead Fire Department responded to the scene and due to the size of the fire, they requested assistance from several area departments including the Jamesport Fire Department, Flanders Fire Department, Mattituck Fire Department, Cutchogue Fire Department, Wading River Fire Department, Hampton Bays Fire Department and Eastport Fire Department.

Ridge Fire Department performed standby at the Riverhead Fire House and several of the departments also sent ambulance personnel to the scene.

The Riverhead Fire Marshals Office responded to the scene as well as the Riverhead Police Department's detective division and the Suffolk County Police Department's arson section to conduct an investigation into the cause of the fire.

Sound Avenue remained closed in the area for several hours while fire personnel worked to extinguish the fire. Due to the amount of water that was used to extinguish the fire, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation responded to the scene to monitor water runoff.

A police officer and two civilians were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and subsequently transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center for further treatment, police said.

The structure sustained extensive damage and a number of animals, which included the two pigs and chickens, perished in the fire, police said.

Humane Long Island responded to the scene to monitor the condition of the animals that survived the fire.

"We just left the scene of a massive barn fire at our neighbor Wells Farm, right down the road from our sanctuary," Humane Long Island wrote on Facebook, adding that some animals had died, and they believed that others were "suffering from burns, lacerations, and smoke inhalation."

Humane Long Island offered to find homes for any animals that survive, donating animals to a nearby sanctuary.

"Our hearts go out to the animals, the Wells, and everyone affected by this tragedy. Thank you to the brave firefighters who administered oxygen to one of the pigs and who are battling this blaze," they wrote.

The fire does not appear to be suspicious in nature at this time, police said.

The Wells family was unhurt in the blaze.

Sound Avenue was closed between West Lane and Church Lane due to the blaze; heavy traffic was reported on Main Road, as well. Motorists were asked to use an alternate route.

To donate to the GoFundMe, click here.