17°c Partly cloudy
12°c Cloudy with showers
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Family vows to rebuild destroyed dairy operation
A DAY after an $8.5-million fire destroyed their dairy operation with several hundred head of cattle, a family was vowing to raise it from the ashes.
Rudolf Hausammann, a dairy farmer with his brother and semi-retired parents near La Broquerie, said Tuesday the operation is insured and they will rebuild.
"It spread so fast. We saw smoke coming out and then there were flames out the top of the building," Hausammann said.
"We couldn't save more animals... we do have very good insurance so our plan is to rebuild. But it will probably take a year or so.
"It's really hard -- we lost 450 cows. It was our milking animals."
Steinbach RCMP said the blaze broke out in the dairy operation in the RM of Ste. Anne at about 6:15 p.m.
RCMP said local fire departments were able to put the fire out, but not before the barn was totally destroyed.
The cause of the fire is being investigated, but RCMP say it is not considered suspicious.
Hausammann said of the 480 cattle in the barn, they were only able to save 30 calves.
"The biggest problem is ventilation in the barn," he said. "Lots of air moves through the barn to help (the cattle) breathe. But that fuelled the fire."
Hausammann said they don't know what sparked the fire in the barn, which was constructed in 1998.
Hausammann said the family began the farm 28 years ago when they came here from Switzerland.
Tracy Bassa, who runs a nearby dairy cattle operation with her husband, Jan, said they already told the Hausammann family that they'll do everything they can to help.
"There will be lots of people who want to help," she said.
"We know, if it was the other way around, they would help us, too."
kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 5, 2010 A6
More Local
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
More Local
(1 of 35 articles for today)
Teachers vote to donate $1.5M to human rights museum
9:17 PM 0Manitoba public school teachers have voted to donate $1.5 million to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in return for ......
Poll
Most Popular Local
- City's first urban reserve born
- Woman drove into river on purpose
- City set to seize derelict hotel
- Crash victims were good friends, free spirits
- Accused fraudster fights extradition to U.S.
- Evidence ignored in dangerous driving acquital, appeal court told
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Witness changes story of killing
- Police searching for suspect who woke sleeping teen
- Doctor charged with sexually assaulting teen at HSC
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Crash claims two young women, RCMP say
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Police identify slaying victims
- Apple trick on Ellen falls short for city woman
- 2 dead in crash near Portage la Prairie
- City's first urban reserve born
- The end of the credit card?
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- A child-custody catastrophe
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- Co-worker 'sick' today? Maybe it's the $17M flu
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- '2 minutes after I read the winning numbers, I retired': Winnipeg lotto winner
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Parents, community relieved and elated as missing boy found safe
- No threat from bag found at Winnipeg Square
- City's first urban reserve born
- First Nation celebrates groundbreaking on city's first urban reserve
- Better PTSD treatment for RCMP urged
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Armed forces buys buses from Motor Coach
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Accused fraudster fights extradition to U.S.
- Crash victims were good friends, free spirits
- Athletes could sit under new school rules
- City set to seize derelict hotel
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Fishing for fashion
- Famous city grocer loved job, customers
- Core grocer a challenge: expert
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- City's first urban reserve born
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- North End proud
- Power restored to Linden Woods after goose collides with lines
- First Nation celebrates groundbreaking on city's first urban reserve
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- Mental-health patients get own ER
- A child-custody catastrophe
- An uncommon phenomenon
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Steen invests $1M in family entertainment centre
- Earls on Main going, but new one coming
- Province introduces changes to rules governing landlords, renters
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Boost same-sex curricula: union
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.