A chicken barn caught fire and was fully engulfed when the Steinbach Fire Department was notified shortly after 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

The barn is located two miles north of Steinbach and two-and-a-half miles east of Highway 12 on Plett Road.

Fire chief Kel Toews says it was a 20 by 10 metal clad barn and there were animals inside at the time of the fire.

"There were 30 chickens at the time and some pigeons. We did see three chickens running around lose afterwards, so, some of them survived but most of them will have died."

The fire department used about 2,509 gallons of water, approximately one pumper and one tanker from Ste. Anne who came to assist.

Toews says there were no injuries and the owner will keep an eye on the barn as there was hay inside which can smolder for awhile afterwards.