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Farmers watching livestock after refinery explosion

An explosion at a Superior, Wisconsin oil refinery Thursday has some farmers concerned about livestock.  Mark and Cora Liebaert raise beef southeast of Superior.

Cora Liebaert tells Brownfield that as of late Thursday afternoon, the toxic cloud missed their farm, and she hopes the livestock will remain safe.  “Evidently, it’s the black cloud.  It’s dust, I guess we’ve just got to (have) hope because I can’t load up 100 head of cattle and head south.  You know, that’s just kind of impossible.”

Mark Liebaert is also the Douglas County Board Chairman, and was away from the farm to work with emergency management teams.  He is also a state Farmers Union board member.

The explosion happened at the Husky Oil refinery, injuring fifteen employees.  No fatalities have been reported.