HARDING-Flames gutted a barn and killed approximately 30 dairy cows in a fire Friday, March 1, on the 20000 block of County Road 139 northeast of Harding.
At roughly 6:40 p.m., the Pierz Fire Department was notified of a barn fire at the property owned by Jill Eich, who reportedly contacted dispatch. Firefighters came upon a barn partially engulfed in flames, with the fire primarily concentrated to one end of the building and part of the roof collapsed. It took firefighters roughly 20 minutes to subdue the fire.
While property owners and no other animals were harmed by the blaze, Pierz Fire Chief Chris Young confirmed roughly 30 cows succumbed to the flames.
"It's always difficult when animals like that are involved," Young told the Dispatch during a phone interview. "But, nobody was injured."
The cause of the fire is currently unknown, pending the results of an investigation by the State Fire Marshal's Office.
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The Brainerd Fire Department responded to calls for mutual, but canceled en route. The Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office assisted at the scene.
