Approximately 800 hogs died in a Harrison Township farm fire that broke out late Friday, firefighters report.
The Bellefontaine Fire Department and nine other departments from throughout Logan County responded to the blaze that broke out about 11:15 p.m. at a 3243 County Road 13 farm owned by the Watkins Farmland Stewardship, aka Rushwood Farms, of Kenton.
One of two barns was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived and the fire was beginning to spread into the insulation atop the second, Bellefontaine Assistant Fire Chief Duane Dow reported.
The first barn, approximately 60-by-120 feet contained 70 sows and 730 piglets, all of which perished in the fire, the assistant chief reported.
The second structure was about 40-by-100 feet and also contained hogs, some of which sustained burns and other fire-related injuries but none died immediately from the fire, Assistant Chief Dow reported. The fire in the second barn was contained to the upper level.
Firefighters are estimating damage at the farm to be in the neighborhood of $400,000.
No firefighters reported injuries and the cause remains under investigation.
Other departments called to assist were Huntsville, Belle Center, Indian Joint Fire, Lakeview, Rushcreek, DeGraff, Quincy, Tri-Valley and West Liberty.
Bellefontaine firefighters remained on scene until about 7:30 a.m. Saturday.