bAbout 20,000 pigs died in a fire at a large pig fattening plant in the Altmark district of Salzwedel. A spokesperson for the Altmark Rescue Center said this on Friday evening. During the hours-long major operation, two firefighters were slightly injured. According to the spokesperson, 10 to 14 stables were burned down. The fire that broke out in the afternoon was still not under control by evening. “There is no end in sight,” the spokesman said.
In total, the facility housed about 64,000 animals, including many piglets. Some of the stalls could have been opened in time, so the pigs ran around outside in the evening. According to the spokesperson, there was no danger to the buildings outside the mast facility, it was isolated. There is still no information about the cause of the fire.
In the evening, approximately 150 firefighters who had been on duty since 2 p.m. had to be replaced. According to earlier reports, twelve fire departments from the villages surrounding the Binde am Arendsee facility were involved. Meanwhile, 24 emergency vehicles were on the scene. Several veterinarians were also called.
There had already been a fire in the complex three years ago. The property damage amounted to 50,000 euros at that time. The Altmark control center issued a hazard warning due to heavy smoke.