Historic Riverhead farm owned by Wells family loses animals, critical operations in devastating blaze

The Wells family, which has farmed land in Riverhead for 12 generations, was sifting through the ashes Thursday of a devastating blaze that destroyed critical barn operations and killed several animals trapped inside three barns that caught fire. 

Thursday, Eric Wells Sr., whose family owns the 300-acre farm, said the Wednesday night blaze killed four pigs and between 20 and 30 chickens in the barn. The family was able to save about 19 pigs, ranging from about 10 weeks to 1 year old, which were moved to a pen with sheep outside.

Two of the destroyed barns, which were attached to each other, were built by Wells' grandfather in 1963 and 1965. A third one, which was still standing despite heavy damage, was built by his father about 30 years ago.

The barns also contained grain feed, a diesel fuel tank, machinery, welding equipment, tools and four trucks that were being stored and repaired.

"It was the heart of our operation," Wells said. "It's where we worked and did everything for our business and repaired machinery. And now we need a heart transplant."

Wells estimated the damage at well over $1 million and said the insurance company told the family their coverage had lapsed without notice after a missed payment.

Wells' mother, Laura Wells, said her son called her shortly after she came home to report the barn was on fire. 

"Sparks filled the sky and the wind wouldn't stop," Laura Wells said. "The first responders were incredible and did not have an easy job last night."

She said her two granddaughters were hospitalized due to smoke inhalation. Eric Wells said his wife suffered burns on her neck and chest from the smoke. The family had to nudge the pigs downhill to safety away from the burning barn, Laura Wells said.

"There were already flames shooting out of the barn. I was calling 911 and said we had animals in the barn," she said Thursday. "We saved almost all the pigs."

"The smoke was so thick," she said. "We lost so much here. The family has been here since 1661. "It’s devastating."

The cause of the fire remained undetermined and under investigation Thursday, said Rudy Sunderman, commissioner of Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services, but it was not believed to be suspicious or intentionally set.

The fire on the Sound Avenue property was reported at 4:55 p.m. Wednesday, Riverhead Fire Department Chief Piotr Kurzyna told Newsday at the scene.

"Pretty much the whole barn was on fire when we got here," the chief said.

 "They were trapped," he said of the animals. "We had to cut some doors and some things to get them out, but we were able to get them out," the chief said.

A Riverhead police officer and two civilians were transported to hospitals for treatment of smoke inhalation, according to Riverhead Police Department Lt. Jonathan Devereaux.

The Wellses are believed to be one of the oldest continuously farming families in New York State, Eric Wells said. The farm, in the hamlet of Northville, has continually grown potatoes and grain for wholesalers. They also sell pigs and chickens for consumption.

The remaining animals were being kept on the property Thursday with bedding, food and water until they can find a temporary home for the pigs, the family said. The farmers are still waiting to inspect a silo behind the farm.

The Wells family plans to continue farming the property and selling livestock, but rebuilding the barn in some form could take years, Eric Wells said. 

"It's in our blood. And when something like this happens, it hits hard, and basically our blood went up in smoke," Eric Wells said. "So when something like this happens, it just makes it very hard to wrap our heads around it and figure out exactly where to go from here. There's just lots of memories and something, which can never be replaced, but hopefully we'll be able to someday rebuild them."

Randee Daddona and Newsday's John Asbury contributed to this report

Correction: A prior version of this story incorrectly identified the farm that, in 2021, Suffolk County purchased 11.6 acres from for its farmland preservation program, as well as the development rights. The farm was Wells Homestead Acres in Riverhead.