BREAKING NEWS: Dodge County fire destroys hog barn, kills 2,000 pigs

A fire in southern Dodge County has destroyed a hog barn and 2,000 smaller pigs, Blooming Prairie Fire Chief Dean Naatz said.
The blaze broke out around 8 a.m. Thursday at the Garness Farm located along Hwy. 30 between Hayfield and Blooming Prairie. It took firefighters from three area departments, including BP, Hayfield and Claremont, to bring the fire under control.
Naatz said the hog barn, which was built in the mid-1990s, was engulfed in flames by the time firefighters arrived on scene. They spent about five hours battling the blaze.
The State Fire Marshal is investigating, but Naatz alluded to the fact that it may be difficult to determine an exact cause of the fire. He said it’s standard to have the state investigate fires when such a large loss of property is involved. He added it would cost at least $750,000 to rebuild a similar structure.