The barn owned by Straussdale Holsteins was still smoking Sunday morning after snowy conditions made for a difficult night fighting a barn fire Friday, just north of Lake Mills.
The heifer barn on the Straussdale Holstein Farm, N7744 Hwy 89, caught fire during the storm that caused slippery conditions all over the area. At about the same time there was a vehicle accident involving a tanker truck on Highway 18 and Hope Lake Road.
Neighbors and family nearby helped clear the barn of animals after the fire started, taking them down the road to the home farm. The farm is owned by Donald and Phyllis Strauss, according to Jefferson County Land Records.
The Lake Mills Fire Department was dispatched to the scene at about 7 p.m., according to the Jefferson County Scanner.
The barn was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived on the scene.
Family members said in a social media post the barn is a total loss but is not their main barn. The barn that was destroyed is estimated to have been built in the 1800s.
Sunday morning family members could be seen tending to the barn, which still appeared to have some hot spots.
Tammy Strauss said in a Facebook post Friday night, the farm and family have a long way to go in the recovery process.
“(We are) so incredibly thankful for all the help and support last night. Please keep prayers coming,” Strauss wrote.
“It will be a long road ahead for Straussdale in the aftermath of this”
She said over the next couple of days the family will focus on clean up, checking on cattle and treating them for any injuries.
“Thank you to the many, many people that came out and braved the weather to help. We were able to save the other buildings.”
Responding were engines from Waterloo and Johnson Creek; tenders from Marshall, Waterloo, Jefferson, Cambridge and Johnson Creek; a squad from Jefferson, fire chiefs from Jefferson and Waterloo; an engine from Fort Atkinson; an ambulance from Waterloo.
Source: The Lake Mills Leader
