Barn Fire Kills Nearly 10,000 Pigs on Illinois Farm
Nearly 10,000 pigs were killed in a devastating fire at Wes and Wanda Pitcher’s hog operation near Gila, Ill., on Jan. 12.
The cause of the fire is still being determined. No people were injured in the fire. According to 979 XFM, Wes Pitcher said the fire broke out about 8:30 a.m. and was finally brought under control by noon.
The remote location of the operation and windy conditions hampered firefighting operations, the article said.
A number of area fire companies were on scene, including Oblong, Olney, Wade Township, Teutopolis, Montrose, Greenup, Noble/Wakefield, Crooked Creek, Dieterich and Yale. Also on scene were Jasper County Ambulance Service, Jasper County Sheriff's Department and MABAS Region 54, 979 XFM reports.
Fortunately, fire crews were able to save the gestation building, However, a farrowing building and the office building were destroyed and another building was damaged, the article said. Pitcher estimated 6,000 weaning pigs and more than 3,500 breeding stock were lost in the fire.
Wes Pitcher has been raising hogs for 41 years.
More from Farm Journal's PORK:
The Night the Fire Took the Farm
10 Ways to Protect Your Barn from a Fire
