Fire destroys barn, 25,000 turkeys

It could have been worse.

The fire that consumed an entire barn and 25,000 adolescent turkeys at the Peterson family's farm in Cannon Falls on Friday afternoon erupted just one day before thousands of newly hatched birds were to arrive.

For the second time in 18 years, a space-heating system was suspected in a barn fire, one that required four fire departments to extinguish. But the Petersons are counting their blessings.

While the 60,000 square-foot barn was a total loss, no humans were hurt and the damage occurred 5 miles from the family's homestead farm.

That's where 80,000 turkeys rested, ate and gobbled in oblivious comfort.

"It could have been much worse," said John Peterson, who grew up on the farm and is the third generation to help run the family business. "We are fortunate that we still have our [main] farm undamaged. This is the farm my grandparents started out with 70 years ago."

U-turn back to the farm

The barn manager had spotted the fire and called 911. Dick and John had better come right away, the caller said. The news forced a U-turn, scary thoughts and a somber three-hour drive back to Cannon Falls.

"We're all kind of in shock right now. It's a very significant loss. This is a season's production worth that is definitely gone," said John Peterson after surveying the damage. "But if there is a silver lining, it is that we didn't have those baby poults here and that they were able to be spared and go someplace else."

Somebody's definitely looking out for hatchlings. It's the second time Peterson turkeys have been spared. A similar fire in 1991 destroyed an entire turkey barn at the main farm, again, just one day before a full shipment of turkeys was to arrive.

A big, fast fire

Friday's fire was big enough that "they needed help on this," said Wanamingo Public Works manager Steve Hicks, adding that the Wanamingo Fire Department 10 miles away responded to the call.

"The fire spread very, very quickly," destroying the rest of the structure and killing the 16-week-old turkeys, which would have been mature in just two weeks, John Peterson said.

The financial damages are not yet known. The family's insurance agent was already on the scene when John and Dick Peterson arrived.

"Absolutely!" Dick Peterson said when asked if he will continue his business. The damaged area, he said, "is just a part of our business."