Crews from eight fire departments were called in to battle a blaze at a dairy cooperative that is one of Burnett County's largest employers and is a popular stop for tourists in western Wisconsin.
Sheriff's officials said the fire at Burnett Dairy Cooperative was reported about 10:30 p.m. Monday, July 20. Employees working in the cooperative located near Grantsburg, were able to make it out safely. Officials say it appears the fire was the result of a mechanical malfunction, officials said.
The co-op is over 120-year-old; the portion of the building most damaged by the fire was the original, oldest section of the facility.
“My great uncle was a butter maker at the creamery across the street,” Dan Bengtson, who grew up in Grantsburg, told CBSN Minnesota. “It’s kind of a special place for our family.” She stopped by to watch the fire crews, knowing the co-op was a special place for local families and communities.