An unknown number of chickens were destroyed when the pole barn housing them caught fire on Monday afternoon.
The Kiel Fire Department and Manitowoc County Joint Dispatch Center responded to reports of a fire inside a pole barn with animals trapped inside shortly after 2:30 Monday afternoon. The Kiel Fire Department arrived at the scene on Point Creek Road, about 5 miles northeast of Kiel in the Town of Schleswig within 12 minutes of the call.
The 40 x 60 foot pole barn was reported to be emitting heavy smoke upon arrival, with a 4’ x 8’ chicken coop within the barn on fire. It took only minutes for the first crews to extinguish that fire, but the coop and its occupants were declared a total loss, and damage to the surrounding shed was estimated at $15,000.
Because of multiple possibilities, investigators couldn’t pinpoint one ignition source, but noted heating devices and extension cords present in the area.
The Kiel Fire Department urged the public to use caution when using space heaters and extension cords, paying attention to the limits noted by the manufacturer.
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