MINNEAPOLIS — A fire chief in southern Minnesota says more than 12,000 pigs are dead after a fire broke out at a pork farm near Waseca. Around 10:30 p.m. Sunday, nine different fire departments were called to Woodville Pork to supply water. At one point there were more than 20 tankers on scene. Two buildings were destroyed, but firefighters put in a fire break to save a third. While no people were hurt, thousands of hogs were killed. “At this point I want to say around 12,000. We had 3,000 sows and 9,000 piglets I believe at this time. That’s just an estimate,” Waseca Fire Chief Jason Forshee said.
By 10:30 a.m. Monday, the scene was clear and the fire marshal had arrived to investigate. The family that owns the hog farm also owns another in the area. Chief Forshee it could be days before they know a cause for the fire. The owner of the farm said they are planning to rebuild.
