Around 400 pigs have died after a barn caught fire on a farm in East Yorkshire, it has been confirmed.
The on-farm blaze occurred on Riston Road, Catwick, around 1pm on Sunday (7 July), Humberside Fire and Rescue Service said.
The pigs housed in the barn were all 'fatally injured' and the building itself 'completely destroyed', the service added.
It said 'accidental ignition' was the 'very likely' explanation for the cause of the fire.
Firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to nearby barn, which suffered smoke damage.
Five fire engines were involved in a five-hour operation.
According to the latest figures by NFU Mutual, the number of farm fires have shot up by 21% to £83.5m.
How can I improve fire safety?
NFU Mutual has a fire safety guide for farmers to follow:
• Have a plan in place – Put people at the heart of your fire plan and ensure everyone on site knows what to do in the event of a fire.
• Don’t mess with electrics - Electrical faults are a major cause of farm fires and electric shocks can cause death or severe injury.
• Suppress the risk – Suppression systems are a major game changer for the industry and play a critical role in detecting, containing and extinguishing fire.
• Keep on top of your housekeeping – Good housekeeping is absolutely essential to ensure materials and machinery are stored correctly and to eliminate dust and debris.
• Control hot work – Welding, cutting or grinding equipment, along with blow lamps and blow torches can produce sparks which can turn into fires if they hit a combustible material.
