(Credit: House of Wiggle Goats/Facebook)
Nonprofit rescue organization faces heartbreaking losses as search for surviving animals continues
A devastating barn fire early Wednesday morning at House of Wiggle Goats, a nonprofit goat and farm animal rescue and sanctuary in Worcester Township, has left owners, volunteers, and the community in shock and mourning.
The fire, reported at 3:19 a.m. at 2160 Weber Road near Curtis Lane and Schultz Road, completely destroyed the barn, which housed rescued animals.
An estimated 40 animals perished and 12 more were take to Quakertown Veterinary for burn treatment.
According to Worcester Volunteer Fire Company, firefighters from multiple departments, including Perkiomen Township Fire Co., Harleysville Fire Co., and Hilltown Township Fire Co., were dispatched to the scene.
First arriving chief officers found the barn fully involved in flames, with the roof already collapsed, according to Worcester Fire Co. A working fire dispatch and first alarm tanker task force were immediately requested to combat the blaze.
The initial 911 call came from a driver on I-476 who reported seeing the fire from the turnpike.
(Credit: Erin Beth Wiggle/Facebook) 
(Credit: Erin Beth Wiggle/Facebook) House of Wiggle Goats, owned by Army veteran Erin Beth Wiggle and Michael Wiggle, is located approximately 900 feet from the roadway.
The nonprofit rescue and sanctuary is known for taking in neglected, unwanted, and abused animals, including goats, pot-bellied pigs, and other farm creatures.
The extent of the loss of animal life remains unclear Wednesday afternoon, as the Wiggles and their team were still assessing the damage and trying to locate their animals.
In a Facebook post made around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, Erin Beth Wiggle confirmed the fire was under control, but acknowledged that the situation was still active.
(Credit: Worcester Township Fire Co./Facebook) “Yes, that is our barn. It is under control. We don’t know who made it out. It is still a very active scene,” she wrote, expressing gratitude to the firefighters, neighbors, and the individual who called in the fire.
Wiggle urged anyone who saw wandering animals to contact them immediately at 215-970-3157 and allow the animals space and patience in the aftermath.
Fire crews were called back to the property around 11:27 a.m. when the barn began smoldering again, according to Montgomery County emergency dispatch reports. The fire departments worked diligently to extinguish the renewed hot spots.
As the Wiggles and their supporters grapple with the tragedy, community members have rallied to support them. A GoFundMe fundraiser organized by Shaina Columbia, with the Wiggles' permission, has been set up to help cover the extensive veterinary bills and care needed for the surviving animals.
The fundraiser had raised $1,343 of its $30,000 goal as of Wednesday.
