Cows Trapped and Even Killed in Two Separate Barn Collapses in Central New York

The Mohawk Valley is coming together to help several farms amid a string of unspeakable tragedies.

Sunday marked a difficult day in Central New York's farming and dairy community. Two separate barns collapsed, resulting in a tragic loss of cattle.

The first incident happened around 6:30 that morning, with the Volunteer Fire Company of Western responding to McCormick Road to rescue trapped cattle inside a "massive" barn that caved in on itself.

Crews immediately began digging through the rubble to free the cows. Several cattle were successfully located while others were able to escape on their own.

Sadly, a few cows did not survive. As of the latest update, crews are on scene as some cattle are missing.

Unfortunately, the hits kept coming with a similar tragedy in Lee Center.

Emergency calls to the public went out around 5pm Sunday evening, with Collins Farm taking to its Facebook ask for immediate manpower and an excavator to help their neighbor in Lee Center.

The business put out the call on behalf of the Penderson family, the company explained, saying there were 60 cows trapped inside the structure off of Taberg Road.

Many responded to the scene with shovels and machinery within minutes, to the point Collins Farm wrote an additional update saying they were "overwhelmed" by the strong response.

According to Collins, at least 30 cows were saved thanks to those who rushed to help.

Sadly, based on previous comments from the dairy farm, about 60 cattle had been trapped inside the collapsed building.

This article will be updated when more information regarding both incidents is made available.

Why Are There So Many Building Collapses This Winter?

The endless cycle of snow is to blame for structures failing. With areas in and around the Mohawk Valley receiving more than 4 feet of snow since January 1, buildings in high snow areas are under incredible pressure.

Unfortunately, the weight of the heavy snow and ice is too much for some structures to bear.

Recent structure collapses include a bowling alley in Camden, a barn in Leyden, a manufacturing plant in Williamstown, and a forest equipment store in Barneveld.

On average, a roof can support around 20 pounds of snow per square foot. However, roofs that are covered in two feet of wet snow are dealing with an added 25 pounds per square foot - or 37,440 pounds.

Double, triple, and even quadruple that in some areas - that is the unfortunate reality why so many collapses are happening across Central New York.

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