Hundreds of pigs are believed to have perished in a piggery fire at Andgar Proprietors in Dublin, about an hour’s drive north of Adelaide.<\/p>\n
A representative for the piggery confirmed two sheds at the facility caught fire on Monday morning.<\/p>\n
They said each shed housed roughly 250 pigs.<\/p>\n
Emergency crews were called to the scene about 11:30am, and crews were still battling to bring the fire under control by late afternoon.<\/p>\n
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Windy conditions made it hard to contain the fire. (ABC News: Luke Pike)<\/p>\n
A CFS spokesperson said it was believed hot and dry conditions caused the spontaneous combustion of a “waste bale” containing mulch, which spread into nearby hay bales.<\/p>\n
Regional duty officer Isaac Eckermann told ABC Radio Adelaide that high winds had caused the blaze to spread to the piggery’s sheds.<\/p>\n
“The biggest challenge was just the wind in the initial phases, so it was quite high winds out here, and that just helped spread and fan the fire and smoke,” he said.<\/p>\n
He said the blaze was now mostly under control, but some piles of mulch and hay continued to burn.<\/p>\n
“We will still be here for a few hours to extinguish those into the evening,” he said.<\/p>\n
Mr Eckermann said the crews were working closely with the Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA) and the RSPCA to provide safe access to the area.<\/p>\n
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Each shed is believed to have housed about 250 pigs. (Supplied: Farm Transparency Project)<\/p>\n
“We do have losses of some pigs here but we haven’t been able to get in there and confirm it at the moment,” he said.<\/p>\n
“We are just trying to make sure the scene’s still safe enough for them to conduct their operations.”<\/p>\n
An Andgar Proprietors spokesperson estimated losses of at least $200,000.<\/p>\n
It is unclear how many pigs have been killed in the fire, but it is expected many others will need to be euthanased.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cruelty allegations<\/p>\n