7,500 turkeys lost to shed fireBurning cardboard rings blamed

A Sunday fire that ravaged a turkey building just west of Albert City was caused by cardboard that was burned too close to the facility.

Assistant Albert City Fire Chief Luke Ehlers told The Storm Lake Times firefighters from Albert City, Marathon and Newell responded at 4 p.m. to a turkey barn fully engulfed in flames near the intersection of 190th Avenue and C-29.

Ehlers said the cause of the fire was debris from a controlled burn that was too close to the building.

“They were burning cardboard rings that served as a fence for the younger birds,” Ehlers said. “It’s common practice to burn cardboard rings when the turkeys mature.”

Ehlers said he was uncertain about how much of the burning debris was sucked into the building. He said by the time area fire departments arrived, the flames were “too involved” to determine how much debris was sucked in.

Ehlers said all of the 7,500 birds inside the building were incinerated. The barn is owned by Herrig Breezy Meadows, Ehlers said.

“It’s a very unfortunate event that was the result of a tragic accident,” Ehlers said. “The building is considered a total loss.”