"Traffic going by I-99 saw the barn on fire and they called 911," said Jeff Rackovan, a spokesman with Rockview State Penitentiary.

Fire crews responded and started battling the blaze at the barn, which is part of the prison's property. The barn is located in an open field across the road from where inmates are housed. It was being used as storage for equipment.

"It contained some old hay bails, some old picnic tables and pieces of farm equipment. There was a planter, a tractor and a combine," Rackovan said.

No other structures in the area were threatened, but the quickly-burning fire, caused traffic to slow down in some spots as drivers stopped on the highway to look at the flames shooting into the sky. In the end, the barn and everything in it was completely destroyed.

Investigators are expected to be on the scene on Thursday to begin looking into what caused the fire.