Thousands of pigs feared dead in massive Simcoe barn fire

A massive fire broke out Tuesday morning at a barn complex on Highway 3 near Simcoe, sparking fears that thousands of pigs may have died.

Crews had responded to reports of a blaze on this property at around 6:30 a.m.

Witnesses say the fire started on one side of the building and then was blown across the barn.

Fire officials are trying to determine the extent of the damage. They say the barn is a total loss and they’re trying to determine how many animals were in the building.

Norfolk Fire Chief Gord Stilwell says no people were hurt in the fire. However, the barn was a large building divided into different areas for pigs.

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“The information we have is the barn has the capacity for 20,000 pigs at different stages. At this time we don’t know the exact numbers. We know that there was livestock in the building. We’re not 100 per cent sure on the exact amount. It definitely would be a considerable loss,” Stilwell says.

“We have fire trucks and emergency services personnel coming to and from the area very regularly,” says Const. Andrew Gamble from the Simcoe OPP.

Gamble says fighting the blaze was difficult because of the extreme heat. Trucks had to bring in their own water in this rural area.

Crews say the estimated damage is $30 million, including the structure, livestock and property loss.

At this time, the cause of the blaze is still undetermined. The scene was turned back over to the property owner on Tuesday.

Police had a stretch of Highway 3 closed to keep the road clear for fire trucks.

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