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Fire blazed through a Wayne County stockyard early Wednesday morning.

The fire broke out around 12:30 a.m. at the stockyard along West Columbia Avenue in Monticello. A police officer noticed the flames and called the fire department. Dispatchers say firefighters from multiple agencies responded.

Officials initially said 12 to 15 head of cattle were inside at the time of the blaze, but after the fire was out, firefighters determined there were no people or animals inside the barn.

Fire officials have not determined the cause of the blaze, but say they consider the fire suspicious.

"It was a very difficult hot fire to fight. We had two departments come in to help us fight it. Tomorrow's the big day, when they come in to do the sales, so we were lucky there." Monticello Fire Chief Jerry Ferrell said."We've got KSP coming in to take a look at it. Right now we have no idea how it started."

KSP arson investigators are expected on the scene later Wednesday.