(KIWA) — Approximately 2,400 hogs died in a confinement building fire southwest of Sibley that caused an estimated $1 million in damage. No human injuries were reported.
The Sibley Fire Department responded to the building at 4847 195th Street, about six miles southwest of Sibley. Fire Chief Ken Huls says the structure was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived.
The building’s owner reported that approximately 2,400 hogs, weighing about 200 pounds each, perished in the fire.
The cause remains under investigation. Investigators are looking into a possible electrical issue in the building’s attic and ceiling area.
Four Departments Respond
Firefighters requested mutual aid from Ashton and Little Rock, with the George Fire Department later called for additional water and personnel.
About 30 firefighters spent approximately four hours battling the blaze, using more than 50,000 gallons of water.
Pete Clauson Excavating brought an excavator to the scene to pull apart the structure so firefighters could reach flames beneath the collapsed steel roof.
Crews Protect Propane Tanks and Nearby Cornfield
A strong west wind carried embers toward a standing cornfield east of the building, creating an additional challenge for firefighters.
Sibley crews directed water onto two nearby 1,000-gallon propane tanks and the threatened cornfield. The field’s owner also helped by harvesting the standing corn and disking the stalks to create a firebreak.
Those efforts prevented damage to the corn.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Department and Osceola County Ambulance also assisted at the scene.
