THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minn. -- A weekend barn fire near Thief River Falls claimed several animals.
The Thief River Falls Volunteer Fire Department responded to the alarm, which sounded at 3:12 a.m. Saturday, at the farm of the Jay Lizakowski.
"When we rolled into the yard, all the walls were down," Co-Fire Chief Jerry Stenseth says. "It had been burning for quite some time. It's a pretty sad day."
The metal building, which measured 40-by-68 feet, was destroyed. The farm is about 10 miles west of Thief River Falls. Damage is estimated at $40,000.
While several animals escaped the blaze through an open door, others, including cattle, several goats and chickens died in the fire, some of which have been involved in 4-H programs, according to Van Swanson, 4-H director for Pennington and Marshall counties.
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"They're active in 4-H. They show goats and chickens," he says. "It's too bad."
An exact cause of the fire may never be determined, Stenseth says.
