Firefighters control a blaze that destroyed a barn on Mount Rose Avenue in Spring Garden Township. (John A. Pavoncello photo)

A vacant barn in Spring Garden Township was destroyed when flames consumed it Sunday.

"There's not much of the barn left," said Jay Van Pelt, battalion chief with York Area United Fire & Rescue.

Emergency crews were dispatched to the barn in a wooded area in the 1600 block of Mount Rose Avenue, near the Interstate 83 interchange, at 5:46 p.m.

Responding firefighters found smoke and flames coming from the building.

"When we arrived, it was fully involved," Van Pelt said.

Firefighters attacked the blaze and had it under control in 20 to 25 minutes, Van Pelt said.

The fire was contained to the barn and, apart from a few scorched trees, did not spread to the woods, the battalion chief said.

The barn was destroyed, Van Pelt said.

Squatters: Spring Garden Township Police Chief George Swartz said several homeless people have lived as squatters in the barn off and on during the years, primarily using it as a place to sleep.

It's owned by the Baker family, he said.

"Up until August we had an individual who was living in that barn," Swartz said. "He was homeless and we found him another place to live."

A portion of Mount Rose Avenue was closed for about three hours as firefighters fought the flames.

A state police fire marshal is investigating but has not yet determined how the blaze started. A damage estimate was not released as of Monday morning.

Red Lion and York Township fire departments assisted York Area United at the scene.

- Staff writer Liz Evans Scolforo contributed to this report. Reach Greg Gross at ggross@yorkdispatch.com.