Fire destroys Utah politician's turkeys

A turkey shed and as many as 15,000 baby turkeys owned by Utah Commissioner of Agriculture Leonard Blackham were destroyed by fire over the weekend.

Tom Dyches, insurance agent for Moroni Feed Co., said the shed was located in an isolated area southeast of Moroni. The fire broke out late Saturday, and by the time it was reported and fire crews arrived, the structure was totally engulfed.

"It went right to the ground," Dyches said.

The source of the blaze possibly could have been the shed's heater or electrical system, he said. "No one knows at this point."

Dyches said the shed and equipment were insured for $104,000. The financial loss from the death of the turkeys is still being calculated, he said.

It is difficult to determine the number of turkeys lost, he said, because while the 15,000 birds were placed there initially, about 15 percent usually die in the sheds.

Blackham, a former state senator, participates in the Moroni Feed turkey growers' cooperative. Newly hatched turkeys are delivered to co-op members, who raise them them until they are ready for slaughter and processing at the company's plant in Moroni.