Four fire departments fight barn fire near Gordonville

Four fire departments fought to put out a fire in a barn at 3208 County Road 227 near Gordonville on Wednesday night.

Firefighters from Gordonville, Millersville and Delta were still on the scene of a barn fire just before 5:30 p.m. The fire began around 4:30 p.m. Fruitland firefighters had also been to the scene but had left by 5:30 p.m.

This cell phone camera photo shows firefighters battling a blaze on County Road 227 near Gordonville. (Erin Hevern/Southeast Missourian)

Gordonville fire chief Randy Morris Jr. said 50 percent of the barn, at the Schwartz Bros. Inc. dairy farm, was engulfed in flames, with heavy fire and smoke, when the first firefighters arrived.

Cattle in a corral behind the barn were moved to safety immediately, and firefighters were able to save some documents in an office inside the barn.

The dairy farm, one of the largest in the area according to an employee at the scene, boards more than 200 cattle. The employee said other dairy farmers in the area offered to take in the Schwartz's cattle while the farm recovers from the loss.

Two members of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department work to put out a structure fire in the early evening hours Thursday, January 21, 2010 on County Road 227. (Laura Simon)

ehevern@semissourian.com

388-3635