Barn Fire Kills More Than 20 Pigs, Destroys 1,000 Bales Of Straw

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Officials in central Minnesota say a barn fire overnight Monday killed more than 20 pigs and destroyed more than 1,000 bales of straw.

The Meeker County Sheriff's Office said the fire completely destroyed the barn, located on the 60000 block of 373rd Street in Manannah Township. Several fire crews responded to knock down the flames.

The barn's owner, Mark Ruhland, told officials that the structure contained 20 farrowing sows, an unknown number of piglets and straw.

The sheriff's office said the cause of the fire does not appear suspicious and might have started from a heat source in the barn.

The economic impact of the fire has yet to be determined. The state fire marshal's office is investigating.