Fire wipes out Wash. dairy's milking barn
VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) - A two-alarm fire early Monday destroyed the milking shed at a dairy in east Clark County.
East County Fire and Rescue says firefighters prevented flames from spreading to the farm house and other outbuildings at Stauffer's Dairy in Washougal.
The fire broke out at about 12:30 a.m. Monday. An initial report indicated two cows had perished in the fire but farm staff later said no cows were killed.
There are no hydrants near Stauffer's Dairy and water had to be trucked in for firefighters. Overhead power lines also complicated efforts to fight the fire.
The fire department said the dairy was established in 1937 and has about 140 cows.
Owner Don Stauffer told KATU News the farm supplies milk to Darigold. His two sons and two other workers run the farm.
The family also sells hay to other farms and ranches nearby. Stauffer said he worked on the farm beginning when he was 9 years old. He said the milking facility was the heart of operations on the farm.
Nearby farmers arrived to help by packing cows into trailers and other vehicles Monday morning so they could be milked at other facilities. The cows usually get milked at about 12:30 a.m. –about the same time the fire broke out, Stauffer said.
Stauffer's Dairy has been part of the generations of dairy farmers that have settled in the area and neighbors are on a first name basis. Many of them drove by after the fire offering to help milk the cows by hand.
"Don and Ruby have been here forever, and they're great people," said Dorrie Best. "And the farm is just a part of the landscape. I'm going to miss the old barn, you can't replace that – it's just too beautiful."
Stauffer said he doesn't know if the barn will be replaced.
"(The) whole thing's all gone – probably won't be another dairy here again," he said.
But after 75 years of dairy farming the Stauffers haven't given up yet. The family will be going over the numbers with the insurance company when the hot spots cool and investigators can figure out a cause to see if they can start again.
"(It's gonna take a few days to figure it out I guess," Stauffer said.
Best said she hopes they rebuild it.
"It was a beautiful barn, and they're part of the culture out here. I'm sure the farm's here to stay. I doubt they'll give that up," she said.
The fire was so hot it melted the siding on the house across the street.
No injuries were reported. The milking barn is a total loss, firefighters said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
What a horrible thing to have happened. Farming is so incredibly hard as it is, but to have your milking barn burn down to ruins is just heartbreaking. I hope this family is able to pull through and continue the milking part of their farm.
This is a test comment. My earlier comment isnt on the board.
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 @onceagain What is wrong with you?! The Stauffers are some of the kindest, most hard working people of the Camas/Washougal community, as well as to all of us fellow farmers of the area. It is so despicable of you to say such a thing in their time of need. I can not believe there are people like you, as well as the others that are commenting on this in the way that you are, in this world, who would disrespect someone like that. Just awful.
The hamburger curd was squeekeist burger I ever had.
sounds like we almost had another great chicago fire
arson for insurance due to the economy?
 @Joel VanHalen What a cruel thing to say, these wonderful people that have lived in Washougal for generations have lost their income because of this fire.
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Sara, Joel is a mental case......pay him no mind !
What a set back, Glad they are all alright, in my prayers, and will check in to see if there is anything I can do. Good People, kind people and yea, some of the hardest working,,,,,
"Nearby farmers arrived to help by packing cows into trailers and other vehicles Monday morning so they could be milked on schedule at other facilities."Awesome when neighbors come forward to help each other in need.  Years ago this was the norm.  As we moved towards urban life we seem to have lost this and more of it would just make us a better society.  Â
 @SerenityWow Some of these folks are still out there, they have to be.Â
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A barn can go so fast, back in 1988 a neighbors barn burned down. From the top of the hill where my barn was, down to the nearest phone at the bottom of the hill was a distance of about 1 mile.Â
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Even riding my mare at a dead run down the hill to the phone, the barn was leveled before I could make it to the phone.
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We all helped, because that's what community is.
The Stauffer Family is the greatest, they are hard workers and pillars of the community, keep them in your prayers
@Down Do you plan on doing anything for them?
I feel for the farmers, As I was one my self. I hope they find a cause. and I sure hope it wasn't an arsonist.
Probably some piece of machinery faulted.