FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. — A bull escaped from its handlers at the Minnesota State Fair on Friday, running loose for about a block before it rammed a fire hydrant and died, witnesses said.

No people were injured in the incident.
The bull, owned by Morris-based Wulf Limousin Farms, was being unloaded from a trailer around 9:15 a.m. when it got spooked and broke free.

Witnesses said they were shocked to see the bull running down the street on the south side of the fairgrounds, where most of the animal exhibits are.

“All we heard was screaming, and then we saw the bull starting to run after people, and then there was an old couple that got away just in time ... and then it started going after a stroller, but for some reason it just stopped,” witness Ashley Miller said.

Then it picked a stationary target.

“It just turned on the fire hydrant, put its head down and hit it at a real good pace,” said witness Chris Fry. “And when it did that, it just dropped.”

The bull died next to the fire hydrant, just across the street from the popular all-you-can-drink milk booth, near the Coliseum. Its carcass was taken to the University of Minnesota for disposal.

Fair officials called it a freak accident and said they were grateful nobody was hurt.

“It kind of reminded me, in my mind, of a miniature version of the running of the bulls,” Fry said.

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