Owner shocked

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The barn in Lannach was on fire.(Bild: Freiwillige Feuerwehr St. Josef in der Weststeiermark)

On Wednesday morning, December 25th, a farm building in Lannach in western Styria caught fire. Despite the rapid intervention of the emergency services, not all the animals could be rescued from the barn.

The fire broke out on the farm at around 8 a.m. on Christmas Day. A neighbor noticed the flames first and called the fire department. The St. Josef in der Weststeiermark volunteer fire department moved out and began extinguishing the fire.

Animals died in the fire
Although the emergency services did everything they could, help came too late for some of the animals: "According to current investigations, two pigs and three sheep died in the fire," the police said. A total of ten fire departments and 120 firefighters were deployed.

The operation was not easy: the roof truss of the building had to be removed with excavators so that the hay bales could be removed. Around a hundred of them then had to be extinguished in a controlled manner. The complex extinguishing work lasted until Wednesday evening. 

Extensive damage
The damage, which also includes several machines such as two tractors, is in the six-figure range. The cause of the fire is still unclear.

The flames raged in the yard ...(Bild: Freiwillige Feuerwehr St. Josef in der Weststeiermark)

... and left only a carcass behind.(Bild: Freiwillige Feuerwehr St. Josef in der Weststeiermark)

Owner dejected, but also grateful for support
Owner Eveline Leber was shocked by the dramatic events in an interview with the "Krone" the following day, but also saw a ray of hope: "The support from the neighborhood and circle of acquaintances has been overwhelming," she reports. Numerous people from the surrounding area have already offered their help so that at least the material damage can soon be repaired.