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FOXBORO - A quick-moving fire destroyed an historic barn Saturday night, leaving a family's Christmas tree and holiday presents burned beyond recognition.

The barn, believed to be 130 to 150 years old, was all but destroyed as stunned family members looked on in horror.

"It was a small fire, and then it just went. Thank God it didn't get to the house," said Jill McComb of 286 Central St.

None of the family members or firefighters were injured. One bystander was injured after slipping and falling on the icy driveway, however.

McComb and her husband Rick have owned the house and its nearby barn for 20 years, and Rick McComb said it was like losing a member of the family. Rick McComb said he was working inside the barn on a welding project when sparks ignited a small trace of gasoline on the floor.

He ran to get a fire extinguisher, but by the time he re-entered the barn, it was fully engulfed. He tried to pull out some of his belongings, but the fire was too intense, and he said there were small explosions going off inside the building.

Jill McComb said when she and her husband purchased the house, the barn was in complete disrepair, and they wanted to knock it down. Town officials asked the family to keep the barn, due to its age.

The couple rebuilt the structure, and Rick McComb moved thousands of dollars worth of tools, snowmobiles, a snow blower and other equipment into the barn. All of those items, along with Christmas presents stored in the barn's second floor, were all destroyed, he said.

A Christmas tree, hand cut by the family

last week in New Hampshire, was also destroyed.

Rick McComb said he and his wife carried on a tradition started by her family of hand cutting Christmas trees in New Hampshire. McComb explained that the family returned from the Granite State a week ago with this year's tree.

As firefighters pulled items out of the gutted barn, one item caught Rick McComb's eye: A baby's bassinette. He explained that the bassinette was his daughter's. She is now 15.

"This is sad, very sad," he said.

While firefighters continued to pull away siding and insulation to get at spots where stubborn flames persisted, McComb said the old barn just didn't want to give up. "It still doesn't want to fall," he said. But fire officials said the historic structure might have to be knocked down, due to the extent of damage.

Foxboro Fire Capt. David Healy, the fire scene incident commander, said the building was fully engulfed in flames when he and other firefighters first arrived. When police, who were first at the scene, reported the extent of the flames, mutual aid was requested from Mansfield, whose firefighters battled the flames alongside Foxboro personnel.

"There was a large volume of fire when we pulled in," Healy said.

Initially, fire crews worked to protect the family's nearby home and two 150-pound propane tanks that were near the raging barn fire.

Firefighters were also able to rescue a family pet rabbit that lived next to the barn.

Fire crews were aided by a fire hydrant directly across the street from the fire, and crews from Mansfield were able to set up a water supply that assisted in protecting the house and knocking the flames down.