A dangerous barn fire caused serious damage and killed more than 100 trained homing pigeons behind the Dove Nest Bed & Breakfast on Scottdale Road in Royalton Township late this afternoon. Firefighters from three departments were called in to help knock down the stubborn flames in the structure which was used to house and train homing pigeons by owner John Nelson, according to authorities.
Royalton Township Fire Chief Ron Koebel pegs the damage at north of $40,000, and credited his team and firefighters from Lincoln and St. Joseph Township Fire units with keeping the fire in nearly 90-degree heat from spreading to another barn building and the nearby large home which is Nelson's home and a year round bed & breakfast facility located at 5000 Scottdale Road, just south of the intersection with Marquette Woods Road.
Koebel says at least 100 of the homing pigeons housed in the old barn building succumbed to the extreme smoke and fire first discovered around 4:30 this afternoon. There was no immediate word on what caused the fire. Koebel had Medic 1 Ambulance crews standing by to aid any firefighter who might have been overtaken by the heat of the battle due to the extreme temperatures in the area this afternoon made even worse by the smoky fire. Nobody was injured, and there was no immediate indication as to whether guests were staying at the quiet retreat at the time of the fire, either.
The Dove Nest B&B name actually stems from John's life-long love of birds and nature. One of the attractions of the resort was the opportunity to see beautiful birds in open aviaries at the back of the property. A trademark of the property was the treasure trove of wild doves and other wild birds nesting in the evergreens behind the house. Nelson's wife and business partner, Jitka always considered having wild doves to be the sign of a happy home. Tonight that happiness is overcome with sadness in the loss of many treasured, feathered friends from the Nelson's barn.
