More than 100 cattle perish in barn blaze

The fire broke out just after 6 p.m. at a dairy farm in the community east of Windsor and more than 50 firefighters from all over Essex County battled the fire, which spread to two barns and the silo.

Fire prevention officer Bob Hamilton says 225 dairy cattle were in the barn when the fire broke out and fewer than half that number made it out alive.

The surviving cattle were herded away from the heavy smoke but Hamilton says many of the cows suffered smoke inhalation.

Hamilton says no people were injured in the blaze (on Concession 11 in Tecumseh near County Road 42).

He says the fire appears to have started when a straw shredding machine ignited near a hay-pile and is not considered suspicious although the Ontario Fire Marshal will likely be contacted.