900 Pigs Die In Fire

The owners of a piggery will assess the damage today after a fire ripped through the building, killing up to 900 animals.

Up to 50 firefighters tackled the blaze for three hours on Friday 29th March at Seaborough Manor near Beaminster, Dorset. The fire swept through the roof of the 330ft-long piggery at 6.30am yesterday, destroying it.

Investigators are now looking into the cause of the blaze, and fire crews remained at the scene on the farm throughout the night.

A spokeswoman for Dorset Fire and Rescue Service said yesterday: "There was 100% severe damage to the piggery and sadly approximately 900 pigs lost their lives in the fire.

"There was an asbestos roof involved in the fire with no affect to any other properties.

"Crews were at work protecting adjacent piggeries and property."

The blaze is the second in less than a year to hit a Dorset farm piggery and kill large numbers of livestock.

A total of 180 piglets and 18 sows died at Corton Farm in Friar Waddon, Weymouth, when fire engulfed a farming unit in May last year.

The large farrowing unit suffered severe fire damage and none of the pigs survived.