Six fire departments helped battle a fire that destroyed three hog barns and left thousands of pigs dead early this morning in Emmet County.
Gruver Assistant Fire Chief Wes Baddeley says the fire was reported around 1:30 a.m. southeast of Dolliver. Baddeley says when firefighters arrived on scene the center building was completely engulfed in flames, fire was coming from the east building and smoke from the west building. Firefighters were on scene for about six-and-a-half hours.
Baddeley says the damage was so extensive that a cause of the fire could not be determined. The three hog buildings were a total loss. About 2,500 sows and 4,000 piglets inside the buildings were killed.
Baddeley says the total dollar loss is estimated at about $10 million.
(By Ed Funston, KILR, Estherville)