PHOTO: Courtesy of WLUK
TOWN OF BRUSSELS, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — 11 farm animals died in a fire that destroyed a barn in Door County and damaged a nearby home.
According to a news release from the Brussels-Union-Gardner Fire Department, the blaze broke out shortly after 4:45 p.m. on Star Road in the town of Brussels. Crews arrived on scene to find the west end of a barn “fully engulfed with smoke pouring out the entire structure.”
Property owners were attempting to get their animals out of the burning barn. Officials assisted them in rescuing some full size pigs and three piglets from the east end of the barn, as well as approximately 30 chickens, before the barn became fully engulfed from one end to the other.
Five goats and six pigs were killed in the fire.
29 BUG firefighters fought the blaze, along with more than a dozen neighboring agencies. It took crews about 30-40 minutes to knock down the flames. Because a metal roof collapsed during fire suppression efforts, an excavator was required to remove the roof to allow firefighters to fully extinguish the fire. The scene was cleared at 9 p.m.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but authorities say it does not appear to be suspicious.
The point of origin where the fire appears to have started has been isolated to the west end of the barn. Property owners stated they had baby goats inside a room where two heat lamps were being used to keep them warm.
The barn was built in 1940 and was approximately 100-by-40 feet in size. It was not insured.
The property owners’ home, which was about 50 feet away from the barn, sustained heat damage to the exterior vinyl siding.
Comments