LONG CREEK – Fire destroyed a barn at the Long Creek ranch home of Mark and Tammy Manning last Wednesday, Jan. 13.

According to Tammy Manning, the barn burned to the ground in just 25 minutes.

The family dogs alerted her to the fire, which started about 2:20 p.m.

Manning, who raises hogs for 4-H youth throughout Oregon, Washington and Idaho, said a litter of 13 pigs and their mother died.

She believes they were killed by the smoke; their bodies were found grouped together, in their regular area of the barn.

A cow, a horse and other animals were rescued from the building.

Manning said they believe the cause of the fire was old wiring. Both the house and barn are nearly 100 years old.

Early last week they noticed that the electricity in the middle part of the barn wasn’t working and were planning to work on the problem later in the week, she said.

The barn sat about a quarter-mile from the house, where the Mannings have lived for about two years.

Soon after the fire, Long Creek School agriculture and science teacher Gene Russell brought about 10 students to help transform a shed – with insulation and added doors – into a small makeshift shelter for Manning’s remaining pigs.

In addition to two prize-winning boars that she had recently moved out of the barn, Manning has 23 more sows, all pregnant.

The piglets that died in the fire were already spoken for. Manning said she feels badly for the kids who are waiting for their pigs.

She is hoping to find someone who has piglets for sale that could replace the ones lost. To help call her at 541-421-3769.