Huge barn fire that killed 800 cows caused $15M in damages, cause unclear

An investigation into a massive barn fire that killed 800 cows near Steinbach, Man., failed to determine the cause of the fire, the province says.

The Office of the Fire Commissioner estimated damages of theAug. 12 fire at Pennwood Dairy at about $15 million, aspokesperson for the province of Manitoba said Monday.

"Unfortunately, [due to] the size and magnitude of the damage resulting from the fire, the cause is listed as undetermined," the spokesperson wrote in an email.

"However, there was no evidence to indicate anything suspicious about the origin of the fire."

Four connected farm buildings housing about 1,000 cows at the farm northeast of Steinbach weredestroyed in the blaze. Only about 200 animals survived.

About 60 firefighters from La Broquerieand four other communities the Steinbach, Blumenort, New Bothwelland Ste. Anne fire departments helped in the effort to contain the fire.