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Sioux Falls, South Dakota (KELO) — About two weeks ago, a fire destroyed the buildings and offices of the Rock Valley Hay Auctions in Iowa.
The fire broke out on the night of January 11th. The next day, the auction house was back selling hay.
Owner Paul McGill said, “Our work continued until sunrise. January 12th was auction day.
McGill has owned the business ever since. February 1, 1996. The company’s founding dates back to his 1940s. We have a history of supplying hay and straw to farmers and ranchers in the region, but we also supply nationwide when needed elsewhere.
McGill said he was lucky the fire didn’t kill the hay. “We always sell a lot of hay,” he said.
The morning after the fire, 92 hay were delivered from Rock Valley. Most of the hay had been open the night of the fire.
Where the hay goes and where it comes from varies from auction to auction and from year to year, he said.
Many of its regular customers are feedlots in northwestern Iowa and the region.
“We’re shipping a lot of goods to Kansas and Oklahoma right now. That’s not normal,” McGill said.
With drought and heavy snow conditions like this month, hay is in high demand outside the region.
“I hauled a load into Yankton and Davis this morning,” McGill said on Jan. 25.
Areas of South Dakota that experienced heavy snowfall in December and early January are now experiencing hay supply challenges, McGill said.
“In the winner areas, most of the people who sell hay have cows. Two things are happening right now. It’s getting harder to come by,” says McGill.
McGill deals with important commodities. So when I heard that the business caught fire on January 11th, “it wasn’t a good time.”
Rock Valley Fire Chief Brent Eshuis said there was heavy black smoke and fire when the fire department arrived on the scene. he said.
Firefighters knew there was a square hay bale at the scene, he said.
Many of the bales were covered with snow.
“Without the snow cover, it would have been much worse,” said Eschuis.
Firefighters concentrated on containing the fire. “I never thought of letting anyone in,” Eshuis said.
Rock Valley and nearby Hull have mutual agreements that fire departments will respond to rescues in the event of a structural fire in either town, he said.
The Sioux Center fire department also responded with an aerial truck, Eshuis said.
Eschuis said firefighters were on the scene for about three and a half hours.
The auction house lost the shop building, equipment inside, an office building, and computers and other items inside, McGill said.
McGill said he called computer services on Jan. 11 and worked overnight to secure a computer for the auction house on Jan. 12.
For now, McGill said the business operates on construction site-type trailers.
Even the busiest time of the year is fine.
“We sell more hay than anyone else,” he said. “Winter is a busy time because cows eat hay.”
During the winter, hay auctions are held twice a week until May 1st.
McGill said the fire likely started in the engine compartment of a truck parked at the store.
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