BENZIE COUNTY, MI — An Up North horseback riding center is recovering after a “catastrophic” fire collapsed a barn on the property and killed several animals.
Lake Ann Farm is a horseback riding center and petting zoo in Interlochen. The farm posted on Monday, Feb. 23 on Facebook giving the public an update on the major barn fire that was blazing overnight.
The owners, who live onsite, were woken up at 2:30 a.m. when their power went out and they saw the flames at the neighboring barn.
A cause for the fire has not be publicized. The Inland Township Fire Department did not immediately respond to MLive’s request for comment.
Crews battled the blaze for several hours and temporarily closed the road, according to UpNorthLive.
There were no horses in the barn, according to the farm’s Facebook post.
The owners raced in to save their “beloved” petting zoo animals but the fire killed four pigs and three goats. They are also missing three barn cats but believe two were able to escape.
A fifth pig, Rambo, was thought to be lost to the fire but returned home “blistered and burnt and absolutely terrified.”
The barn collapsed on itself and destroyed all belongings inside, according to the farm.
The Up North community is already rallying around the farm. The owners have compiled a list of immediate needs and set up an Amazon registry in lieu of a GoFundMe account.
Immediate needs include salt blocks, stock feed, stock tanks and hay.
