While firefighters were able to save some of the animals, others were lost in a fire Tuesday evening that destroyed a barn in Brussels. Firefighters began arriving at the property on Star Road before 5 p.m., where they found the west side of the barn fully engulfed. Brussels-Union-Gardner Fire Chief Curt Vandertie said the fire spread quickly through the 100-foot-long structure, prompting him to activate the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, which summoned firefighters from as far away as Sister Bay/Liberty Grove to the north and Carlton to the south. Firefighters spoke to the property owners to form a plan to rescue as many animals as possible. Vandertie says four pigs, three piglets, and about 30 chickens were able to be saved, but several other pigs and goats still perished in the fire. It took about 30 to 40 minutes for firefighters to knock down most of the blaze, relying on an excavator to tear off the barn's metal roof to increase their access to the flames. The fire remains under investigation, but Vandertie says the fire's origin is near where two heat lamps were set up to keep some of the farm's young animals warm. The property owner was treated by medical staff after helping save some of his animals by entering the building. In addition to the barn being lost, the home suffered heat damage to its vinyl siding due to the heat of the fire and its proximity to the structure. Firefighters were able to leave the scene at approximately 9 p.m.
