MU barn fire leads to ‘complete and total loss,’ no injuries reported

View a livestream of firefighters putting out the fire in the web player above.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Firefighters on Tuesday responded to a barn fire in the 9600 block of Highway 40 in Boone County.

The right side of a barn completely collapsed and the left side of it caved in. University of Missouri spokesman Christian Basi told ABC 17 News that it is considered a "complete and total loss."

Just after 6 p.m., a staff member at the foremost dairy research center noticed a fire coming out from the barn and immediately called 9-1-1. No injuries for any people or animals were reported.

“As we were leaving, coming in route we saw heavy black smoke in the distance and so we knew we had something significantly involved,” Boone County Assistant Fire Chief Gale Blomenkamp said. 

The 200-by-50-foot barn housed equipment and feed. Firefighters believe the fire started on the east side of the barn, where a large amount of hay was being stored. 

An ABC 17 News reporter could hear explosions coming from inside the barn, which firefighters say were caused by the tires of some of the farm equipment.  

No animals or people were inside the barn when it went up in flames.

“We did move several of the cows out of an adjacent building into a pasture area so that they could be free to move about in that area but they were never in any kind of danger,” MU spokesman Christain Basi told ABC 17 News. 

According to Blomenkamp, a total of 15 safety workers responded to the scene including three fire engines, three tankers as well as ambulance unit safety workers from MU Heath, and a squad from one of the fire stations. 

The building is considered a total loss and the fire department expects the fire to continue to burn for a day or two. Right now, the main focus is cleanup and preventing runoff from contaminated fire water. The cause of the fire is still unknown. 

“The information that we gather from the people that were here that’s the best information we are going to have,” Blomenkamp said. “Obviously, the building is a total loss. We know based on the amount of damage and where that damage is where it started. But as far as an exact cause, frankly, I’d be surprised if we come up with an exact cause.”