Hundreds of pigs lost their lives after a fire destroyed a barn in East Yorkshire over the weekend. The blaze broke out shortly after 1 p.m. BST on Sunday at a farm on Riston Road. According to officials from Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, all the pigs in the barn perished as the structure was razed to the ground. The cause of the fire was most likely an electrical fault, reports suggest.
A total of five fire engines were called to the scene and firefighters worked for five hours to bring the flames under control. Their efforts ensured that the fire did not spread to a nearby building, which only suffered smoke damage. In total, crews used two main lines, a hose reel, breathing apparatus, a thermal imaging camera and a drone to tackle the blaze.
Farm animals are a key priority for UK firefighters, as fires can spread rapidly due to the enclosed nature of barns and the sawdust or straw bedding that is often used. In addition, plastic components in livestock equipment can easily ignite if rogue electrical currents pass through them. The result can be catastrophic in terms of damage and loss of life, with large numbers of animals unlikely to escape the building quickly enough.
As of yet, no estimates have been provided for the monetary cost of the fire or its impact on the farm involved. Investigations are ongoing as to the precise cause of the blaze, and whether it was preventable in any way
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