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Calves, cows die in barn fire

PJ Slinger  —  7/19/2008 2:10 pm

A couple cows and a half dozen or so calves perished in a barn fire around noon Saturday at Cliff and Carol Hageman's family farm at 6158 County Road M in Fitchburg, Cliff Hageman said.

The fire apparently started in the milking barn and spread to an adjacent barn, consuming both. Carol Hageman said the farm had 120 cows, most of the which were saved and were seen standing and grazing in a nearby field as firefighters from several different departments tried to manage the blaze.

Firefighters worked to keep the fire from spreading to other buildings. No cause was determined for the fire, although fresh hay was apparently recently placed it the loft in the milking barn.

Cliff Hageman said the milking barn was built in the 1950s and the other barn was "newer." A neighbor said the milking barn had just gotten a new roof within the past year.

No damage estimate was available, but both barns were likely a complete loss.

The fire started late Saturday morning, but continued into the early hours of the afternoon. At least a dozen trucks from the Fitchburg and Verona fire departments and a couple dozen firefighters were on the scene battling the flames.

PJ Slinger  —  7/19/2008 2:10 pm