A rural Minnesota farm lost more than 200 market-weight cattle Tuesday after a barn fire that started in a manure pit.
According to Ted Bullerman, a partner at 3B Farms, two tractors were working on a pump below the pit when the fire started and quickly spread at their cattle site.
“We were pumping our pits down and had two tractors hooked to them,” Jeff Bullerman, another partner, told AgWeb. “The guys were pumping it down, and they had it about half empty.......They tried to get it out, but the fuel line had started and it was too late.”
About 220 cattle were able to escape unharmed and there were no humans injured. Jeff Bullerman also told AgWeb they were lucky the wind wasn’t blowing south otherwise they would have lost multiple buildings. All things considered, he said they were lucky and that he was impressed with the quick response from the community.
“Thanks to the surrounding departments that helped out and all the community members that came out to help,” he said. “In a matter of minutes, there was more people there than I could count. It’s gotten to be where it’s not even a surprise anymore. The community we have is just unreal.”