A devastating fire tore through a dairy farm in Rimouski, Que., on Wednesday evening, killing nearly 80 cows and destroying the barn, authorities say.
The Rimouski Fire Department says it was alerted around 5:30 p.m. about a fire that was spreading at the Maurice Gagné dairy farm, located on 3rd Rang Road in Bic.
The operation, which lasted nearly five hours, required around 60 firefighters, five tanker trucks and two pump trucks.
Authorities say due to the extent of the damage, the farm was declared a total loss.
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Operations Division Chief of the Rimouski Fire Department, Louis Pageau, said the barn had burned down within an hour.
No people were injured and fewer than 10 animals were saved, officials said.
The majority of the cows died in the incident.
The fire department says the initial investigation suggests an accidental cause, likely related to an electrical malfunction.
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