Norfolk County firefighters estimate at least 20,000 hogs have died in a fire that broke out at a barn in Ontario Tuesday morning.
Officials with the Norfolk County Fire Department said three stations responded to the fire at an address on Highway 3 just outside Simcoe around 6:45 a.m. on Tuesday.
When crews arrived, they discovered the entire barn, approximately 200,000 square feet in size, was engulfed in the fire, James Robertson, Norfolk County Deputy Fire Chief, said in a news release.
Crews remained on scene into the afternoon, contending with hot and humid conditions in an effort to suppress the flames. At the fire’s peak, Robertson said eight stations, 40 firefighters and 15 apparatuses were on scene.
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No injuries have been reported by any farm staff or firefighters, but Robertson said it is estimated that at least 20,000 hogs died in the blaze.
He said the fire is not being treated as suspicious at this time.
Norfolk County is advising residents in the area to remain indoors as smoke travels across the region, reducing visibility and impacting air quality.
Highway 3 is closed between Charlotteville East Quarter Line and Windham East Quarter Line Road, OPP said at about 10 a.m.
factory farming will do that, yeah.
how in all creation is it POSSIBLE to have ANY sort of ‘condition’ in a building like that and burst into flames? ‘somebody’ totally ignorant that jeeper straw burns or whatever?? what obscene carelessness for YEARS. l truly grieve for those hogs BURNED TO DEATH because some cheapskate hooomahn ignoramous ‘cut corners’
Quote CETFA Foundation:
‘Barn fires are not freak accidents. They are a predictable consequence of industrial confinement, where tens of thousands of animals are packed into buildings with no ability to escape smoke, flames, or heat. When a fire breaks out, every life inside is lost.
These tragedies are entirely preventable. They would not occur on this scale — or at all — if animals were not confined in massive, windowless barns where they have no chance of survival during emergencies.
For the 20,000 pigs who died, this was not “no injuries.”
It was 20,000 lives ended horribly.’
The really sad part of this article is that it made me feel more sad for the 20,000 piggies than most other articles about murder and violence in the world today.
Factory farming isn’t and never will be ‘humane’ because of poor oversight, inadequate conditions, and the inherent conflict of interest of having a sentient being commercially sold for their body parts or secretions. Factory farming must end now; it is stressful beyond belief not only to the animal victims but also to humans having to bear the weight of knowing that these kill factories exist and cause immense suffering to innocent beings.
20000 animals died. We humans keep telling ourselves they are only animals, commodities, but can we pause and think about how these sentient beings suffer? Humans are less humane than we think we are.
The only thing anyone is worried about is that the farmer was insured. No one mentions the 20,000 pigs that were trapped in that inferno, and burned to death. What a horrible way to die, and they couldn’t get out…. SO SAD!!!
So sick of factory farming! People please wake up to the absolute cruelty and suffering you are supporting. 20,000 pigs in a barn is industry standard practice but also not normal. Horrific. RIP to these pigs who died in this fire, but they were destined to die screaming in a gas chamber. Neither are ok.