A fire broke out at a commercial hog farm near Cascade, Iowa, on Dec. 2, causing more than $500,000 worth of damage and killing around 30 pigs, The Telegraph Herald reports.
The fire was reported around 5:05 p.m., according to the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Department.
The fire occurred in a hog building owned by Christopher Bower, of Iowa City, Iowa. Nothing suspicious was noted, the Telegraph Herald reports.
The fire appears to have started in an electrical heater that the farmhand had just turned on as they were unloading two semis with new pigs, reports KMCH Mix 94.7 Radio.
Did You Know?
Heating equipment is the leading cause of fires in farm buildings, says Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health. Farm structure fires are most frequent in late winter and early spring. Barn fires are not small. Half of all barn-structure fires involve the entire building.
Read more about how to protect your farm from a fire.
More from Farm Journal’s PORK:
The Night the Fire Took the Farm
After the Fire: Kylie Epperson Finds Her Voice in Agriculture
Is Your Livestock Barn At Risk For A Fire? Here’s A Safety Checklist
