An investigation is underway after a fire broke out at a three-barn complex in Steinbach, Man., killing 7,500 pigs – most of which were piglets.
Together, the three barns held a total of 3,000 female pigs and 6,000 piglets, CTV Winnipeg reports.
"It’s obviously devastating for the farmers and employees," Rural Municipality of Hanover fire chief Paul Wiebe told CTV Winnipeg. "Their animals are their livelihood and they take good care of them."
Wiebe says fire crews received a call at around 6:45 a.m. on Nov. 10 after employees arriving for work caught sight of the flames.
When firefighters got to the scene, Wiebe says one barn was entirely engulfed in flames, and the fire was quickly spreading to a second structure, where all of the animals died.
The third structure was saved, and all 1,500 pigs inside were unharmed, CTV Winnipeg reports.
Wiebe says that there were no human injuries, and the estimated cost of the damage has not been determined yet.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.
With a report from CTV Winnipeg
