Gassy Cows Cause Barn Explosion

There were 90 of them in the German barn
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jan 28, 2014 11:31 AM CST
Gassy Cows Cause Barn Explosion
Cows in a barn, but not the barn in question.   (AP Photo/Toby Talbot)

A herd of dairy cows nearly lifted the roof off their barn in central Germany yesterday when methane released by the animals caused an explosion. Police in Hesse state said in a statement that a static electric charge apparently triggered the detonation, and a spurt of flame, at a farm in Rasdorf. The roof was slightly damaged and one cow suffered light burns. No people were hurt. Police say 90 cows are kept in the shed and it wasn't clear why quantities of methane had built up, though bovine belching and flatulence releases large quantities of the gas. (It's not this week's only odd story about passing gas.)

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