Deer Park Area News and Events


Thursday, April 24, 2003
Lightning strike kills dozens of cows in Cylon Township
By Julie Shehane-Bannink, News staff reporter
jshehane@rivertowns.net

Jim Croes Cows
Photo by Julie Shehane-Bannink-

Jim Croes of Cylon Township lost an estimated 25-30 beef cows last week when a lightning strike hit the hay wagon they were eating from. Jim Croes and his wife Charlene watched the lightning race across the sky last Tuesday evening from their Cylon Township home. But it wasn’t until Thursday morning when they realized it had struck their property and killed dozens of their beef cattle. “I fed them on Tuesday and looked out in the field Thursday and thought the wagon should still be full of hay,” explained Jim Croes. “I went out there to give them more hay and found them dead.” The incident happened at the Croes farm on 240th Street, about one half mile from Highway 63/64.

About 25-30 beef cows were killed when lightning struck the hay wagon they had been eating from. Croes said it appears the animals were touching metal at the time of the strike and appear to have been killed instantly. Another 25-30 cows on the property were not eating at the time of the incident and were not injured, Croes explained.

The hay in the wagon also caught on fire, as well as a wooden floor base, Croes said. Croes said lightning has struck his property before, killing about seven cows the first time. “It’s a common thing, but I’ve never seen it this bad before,” he said.

Croes said the financial loss has not yet been determined. Although the Croes are insured, Jim said he is not certain what type of coverage the family has.


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