Shed and equipment destroyed by fire

The skies were lit up from the blaze at the May family farm near Browerville on June 24. A Quonset machine shed containing many thousands of dollars worth of equipment was destroyed. The Browerville, Clarissa and Long Prairie fire departments were on the scene for a little over four hours extinguishing the flames and keeping nearby buildings with cattle in them safe.

by Karin L. Nauber

karin@inhnews.com

It took less than four hours to turn thousands of dollars worth of farm equipment into tangled, charred ruins at the May family farm in rural Browerville.

Less than four hours to destroy what took years to build.

Less than four hours...

It was at approximately 10:13 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24 when a neighbor who lives across the field from the May farm called Ted (May) and told him that a shed was on fire.

“Ted took off to see if he could save anything and I called 911,” said Amy Claseman, Ted’s partner.

According to a report from the Browerville Fire Department, the call was received at 10:15 p.m.

The loafing shed in the background was saved as well as the animals inside, but two trucks and nearly all of the farms’ tractors and equipment were completely destroyed in the fiery inferno.

They responded with mutual aid from the Clarissa and Long Prairie fire departments.

Unfortunately, the metal Quonset machine shed was burning hot and fast. It became clear that the best thing to do was to try to contain the fire and to keep the nearby loafing shed with several steers in it safe from the blaze. . . .

Click here to subscribe to read more . . .