Fire destroys Chelsea-area farmer's milking barn

A fire destroyed a sixth-generation farmer’s milking parlor in rural Lima Township Monday night.

Farmer Archie Bradbury said he finished milking and left the building shortly before 7 p.m. Monday. A few minutes later, a neighbor came pounding on his door and said, “you’ve got a problem.”

By then, Bradbury could see flames coming out of the north end of the building. He called 911 and ran to the building and removed some items and turned a hose on the fire, but it wasn’t enough to do much.

Several drivers on Interstate 94 also called to report the fire, said Chelsea Area Fire Authority Chief Jim Payeur.

By the time firefighters arrived, the building was engulfed in flames. Firefighters from five departments responded and kept the blaze from spreading to a nearby barn full of hay, but the milking parlor itself is likely a total loss, though Bradbury is hopeful some equipment might be salvaged.

No animals were in the building, and no one was injured.

But Bradbury is not sure if he’ll be continuing in the milking business. “I’m pretty old,” he said. Bradbury, 68, grew up on the farm on Easton Road between Dexter and Chelsea and said he is the sixth generation of his family to work it.

The nearly 50 cows he milks are now with neighbors while he waits to find out the cause of the fire and deal with insurance. He said he could not estimate his loss for the building and the milking equipment in it.

Fire investigators were heading back to the property Tuesday morning to determine the cause.

Besides the Chelsea Area Fire Authority, firefighters from Dexter, Scio Township, Saline and Manchester battled the blaze.

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