A fire kills about 40 calves at D Dutchmen Dairy

D Dutchmen Dairy reported that the fire began at about 1 a.m. Pacific time on Thursday. The blaze affected three structures at the farm in Sicamous, a community in British Columbia's Interior, according to a statement published on the business's Facebook page.

The company said approximately 40 calves died in the incident. It described the animals as individually cared for rather than as a numerical group. “Our animals are not just a number, they are loved, they all have names,” the family said. “My son has hugged, kissed and pet them all.”

The people in the family were not injured, according to the business's account. D Dutchmen Dairy nevertheless asked members of the public not to come to the farm while the site was affected by the fire.

The operation combines a dairy farm with an ice-cream shop. Chris and Nellie Dewitt established the family business in 1978, according to information published on its website. The business has operated for decades as a roadside stop associated with ice cream and farm animals.

D Dutchmen Dairy is situated just off the Trans-Canada Highway in Sicamous. Its public profile has been linked to both its dairy operation and its ice-cream shop. The fire damaged farm structures, including a barn, while the business described the event as occurring during the night.

The company provided the initial account of the fire and its consequences through social media. The available statement did not give a cause for the blaze, an estimate of property damage or information about when the farm and shop might reopen.