An Otter Tail County farm family that lost 1,000 goats and other animals to a barn fire is looking forward to rebuilding their dairy business, following a devastating blaze that broke out the day before Christmas.
An online fundraising effort started to help dairy operators Brittany and Stephen Springer and their five children recover financially from the fire had raised more than $5,000 from 102 contributors as of Monday night.
Brittany Springer said they want to rebuild the barn using the money when the weather permits.
"We had no idea people would want to help," she said of the fundraiser in a message to the Star Tribune. "It was actually one of our employees who started it for us. She loved the goats as much as we did and she wants us to succeed just as much as we do. … God is faithful and is getting us through this."
The blaze started in the dairy barn at Cornerstone Farm, northeast of Henning, about 3 a.m. on Dec. 24, according to the Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office.
Along with the goats, the Springers lost a dog trained to tend to the herd, 15 peacocks and at least two tractors in the fire that ravaged the barn, according to authorities and the couple.
While the Sheriff's Office had yet Monday to offer a preliminary indication of how the fire started, "There is nothing suspicious noted at this time," Lt. Greg Seim said in a statement.
In a Facebook posting on Christmas Day, Brittany Springer wrote that she woke up "to a noise in our basement followed by the house losing power. I looked out our bedroom window, and the whole sky was glowing orange. Our beautiful barn was lighting up the night sky with the horrific glow of fire."
