About 40 Calves Killed in Fire at Iconic D Dutchmen Dairy in Sicamous
Sarah Desjardins
9/25/20262 min read
A fire at one of Sicamous’s best-known family businesses has destroyed several farm buildings and killed dozens of calves.
The blaze broke out at D Dutchmen Dairy at around 1 a.m. PT, according to Bianca Colonna, whose parents operate the business.
Three buildings burned, including a barn that housed approximately 40 calves.
None of the calves survived.
“So in the words of my mom — her babies passed away last night,” Colonna said.
She said the animals were treated like family and each had a name.
“My four-year-old son hugged and kissed every calf.”
Fire Spread Quickly Through Wooden Barns
Colonna said the flames spread quickly through the older wooden structures.
Firefighters were able to stop the blaze from reaching other parts of the farm, including the milking parlour and the area where adult cows were housed.
One cow that fell during the confusion was also rescued.
“They said, ‘We’re not going to let her burn,’” Colonna said of the firefighters.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
The family is asking members of the public to stay away from the property while the damage is assessed.
Ice Cream Shop Spared but Closed
The main ice cream shop was not destroyed in the fire.
However, D Dutchmen Dairy remains closed while the family determines its next steps.
The business was founded in 1978 by Chris and Nellie Dewitt and has since become a familiar stop for travellers along the Trans-Canada Highway.
Its ice cream, dairy products and farm animals have made it a popular destination for generations of families travelling through the Shuswap.
Mayor Calls Business ‘Iconic’
Sicamous Mayor Colleen Anderson described the fire as devastating.
She said D Dutchmen is more than simply a local business.
“Not just a business but family friends, community supporters. Just a big part of Sicamous,” Anderson said.
Laurie Kubos of Askew’s Food, which sells milk produced by the farm, said she remembers visiting D Dutchmen while growing up in nearby Revelstoke.
“It was a big deal,” she said.
Both said people throughout the community were already looking for ways to support the family.
Nearly Five Decades in the Community
D Dutchmen Dairy has been operating for almost 50 years.
In a 2021 interview, owner Jake Dewitt, the son of the founders, said approximately 180,000 customers visited the business each year.
At peak periods, the operation employed about 25 people.
Dewitt attributed its popularity to its grounds, its dairy products and especially its ice cream, which he said was well known among visitors from Alberta.
Jennifer Tirschman, executive director of the Sicamous and District Chamber of Commerce, said the farm has become deeply connected to the community.
“They’re part of the very fabric of the soul of this community,” she said.
She said many residents and travellers have personal memories tied to visits to D Dutchmen.
“We’re all very saddened to hear about the devastating fire that has occurred, and the community is here to support them in any way we can.”
For now, the dairy remains closed as the family deals with the loss of the animals and begins evaluating the damage to the farm.
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