Ferocious winds killed more than 60 dairy cows when a power pole slammed into the roof of a West Michigan barn.
Friends, neighbors and utility workers responded to T and G Butler Dairy in Sand Lake early Thursday morning.
13 ON YOUR SIDE was told by the family that part of the metal roof had initially peeled off before the high voltage pole fell.
Power and water to the building had subsequently been cut as work to remove the cattle killed in the aftermath got underway Thursday morning.
The utility pole in question still featured a definitive lean, but appeared to have been secured by crews prior to 13 ON YOUR SIDE's arrival.
Neighbors and farm workers were then still in the process of removing the cattle killed, loading the bodies into large trucks.
Despite the loss of life, the family said it was grateful to have the community's support as it looked to move forward.
"Thank the Lord, praise the Lord no one got hurt," Tadd Butler said during a brief break from the recovery effort. "You hate to lose animals, but a lot of neighbors, all the neighbors were here, brought their trucks, we're out helping this morning, so we've got a really great community, great neighbors and the Lord was good to us today."
The dairy cattle were insured, Butler says.
The family told 13 ON YOUR SIDE the insurer had already been on site and that they were still in communication Thursday.
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