Fire Destroys Hoop Barn near Armour; Blaze Deemed Suspicious

ARMOUR, S.D. (AP) — A fire that destroyed a hoop barn near Armour has been deemed suspicious.

The Daily Republic reports the barn that burned Thursday morning was owned by Doug Luebke, who also owns an under-construction hog barn that was vandalized Wednesday.

A hoop barn is a building with a tarp covering metal framework. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office says Luebke's barn housed 350 1,000-pound square hay bales and two tractors. The machinery had only minor damage. Luebke estimated total damage at about $60,000.

The fire's cause wasn't immediately determined, but Deputy Brandon Wingert says the blaze is suspicious. Local, state and federal authorities are investigating.

In the vandalism incident, someone drove a stolen tractor that was pulling a tile plow down the center of a recently poured concrete floor.

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