A massive fire destroyed four barns near Tatamagouche, N.S., Saturday evening according to the local fire department.

The fire broke out just before 6 p.m. Saturday at Ram Farms Ltd. — 10 kilometres from Tatamagouche. All four buildings were connected and had a total of about 10,000 square feet of floor space, said fire chief Ian MacDonald.

"It's a pretty overwhelming sight off the get go," said MacDoanld, "You need so many people and so much water, it's a lot for a small area like this."

Syrian family living at farm

The sheep farm is owned by a family from Iraq, who have been in Canada for eight years. A family of Syrian refugees rent a house on the property, they were not injured but the mother, who is pregnant, was taken to hospital in Truro, N.S., as a precaution.

"This is just traumatic for them. There's six children and mom and dad, dad works looking after the farm," said Jerry Amirault, who was the community liaison for the family. "Suddenly their life is turned upside down."

40 firefighters, 4 hours

Three other fire departments had to be called in to help fight the fire. It took about 40 firefighters four hours to put out the blaze.

Amirault, who lives nearby, said all four buildings burned to the ground. The Syrian family is staying with the owners of the farm at their home in Halifax until power and water are restored to their house.

The cause of the fire hasn't been determined.

No animals were in the barns at the time of the fire.