Several hogs lost in Sunday barn fire

BUCYRUS - What caused a fire that killed several pigs Sunday morning is still not known, according to John Schiefer, chief of the Holmes Township Volunteer Fire Department.

The fire sparked just before 8 a.m. at a farm about five miles north of Bucyrus at 4593 Eaton Road. The road was still partially closed Monday morning.

"This was a nursery barn," Schiefer said. "Littler pigs. They’re not great big ones, that’s for sure."

Schiefer said the barn was about 50 feet wide by 150 feet long — the piglets are usually kept there for a few weeks before being taken to a larger production barn. The first order of business for firefighters was to get as many pigs out of the barn as possible.

"They took quite a few loads of live hogs out of there," Schiefer said. "They did a good job of saving them."

Smoke from the fire initially impeded firefighters' efforts to extinguish the blaze.

"The whole building was full (of smoke) when we got there," Schiefer said. "It was kind of hard to put out."

Firefighters used thermal imaging equipment to search for heat sources within the building — they then concentrated their efforts on those areas.

"The fire was in the center of the building, but what caused it, we’re still working on that," Schiefer said.

Although several pigs were lost in the fire, Schiefer said most of them were saved — he said a total count of how many died has not been completed.

"It went well for a bad situation," Schiefer said.

Schiefer said that once all of the animal remains are cleared from the scene, firefighters will return to complete their investigation of the blaze. Not only will that reveal the cause of the fire, but will also show the extent of the monetary damage caused.

Schiefer said all firefighters left the scene by about 1 p.m. Sunday. No injuries were reported.

Also responding to the scene were units from Bucyrus Township VFD, Liberty VFD, Chatfield VFD, New Washington VFD, Sycamore VFD, Wyandot East VFD and Lykens VFD.

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