(La Porte County, IN) - A barn large enough to house up to 4,000 hogs was destroyed by fire Sunday night in La Porte County.

 

Fortunately, the roughly 400 foot long by 80 foot wide structure was empty because the hogs previously inside it had been delivered for slaughter in recent weeks, said Todd Lawrence, owner of TJL Family Farms, LLC.

 

He owns and operates with help from his son the farm started by his parents in 1959.

 

Lawrence said he was about to have the barn power washed before receiving his next load of 4,000 hogs.

 

He’s already contacted his insurance company about covering the loss along with a builder to replace the barn at the Johnson Township site just a quarter mile from the Starke County line.

 

“We already got the ball rolling,” he said.

 

Hamlet Fire Chief Brad Hazelton said the barn was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters about 6 p.m. began arriving at 11745 S. County Road 700 East.

 

He said firefighters from Knox, Koontz Lake, Walkerton, Polk Township and Liberty Township assisted with manpower and shuttling water to the burning structure in tanker trucks.

Hazelton said firefighters were there for about five hours.

 

There were no injuries.  The cause of the fire, so far, was not known, he said.