Massive fire rips through 2 barns at well-known dairy farm in Beaver County

BEAVER COUNTY, Pa. — Dark clouds of smoke filled the air as a fire burned through two barns at a well-known dairy farm in Beaver County.

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A Beaver County 911 supervisor confirms the fire broke out at Brunton Dairy Farm along Ridge Road around 5 p.m. Thursday.

The fire started in one barn where a tractor-trailer was parked and spread to a second barn.

Brunton Dairy Farm is a seventh-generation family-owned dairy farm that has been in operation since 1962. The Brunton family purchased the land in 1839, according to the farm’s website.

“I called my daughter. She said, ‘I can’t talk now. The barn. The barn is on fire,’” Nancy Wolfe said. Her daughter is married to one of the owners of Brunton Dairy. “We are blessed that we have not had loss of life.”

According to family members, the milking barn and bottling plant are gone. At least one trailer was also destroyed.

The blaze brought a large response from emergency crews and neighbors alike.

“I’m not even a farmer, but I know how to take care of a cow if it needs help and I was helping him and all my Bruntons,” Ben DeLouis said. He lives nearby, saw the smoke and came running.

“All of the cows that survived [were] cut loose. We helped corral them into another pasture to keep them safe. Some of them were trying to run back in the fire,” he said.

With nowhere for the surviving cows to go, neighbors turned out in droves, offering trailers to move cattle to nearby farms.

“This community, they’ve always been there. Bad times. Good times,” Wolfe said.

Family members tell Channel 11 they are thankful to be okay and for the community that came to help.

“The community has rallied around them. I’ve seen a lot of friends and neighbors,” DeLouis said.

“Continue to have the family in your prayers, please,” Wolfe said.

Channel 11 asked another family member what this would mean for business. She said it was too early to tell.

A firefighter was treated for dehydration. No other injuries were reported.

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help support Brunton Dairy.

Click here to donate to the farm.

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