100,000 chickens die in fire at Connecticut egg farm

About 100,000 chickens died in a fireplace over the weekend at a Connecticut farm that is without doubt one of the prime 5 egg producers within the nation.

Officers from the state Division of Agriculture confirmed Monday that an estimated 100,000 hens had been killed in a fireplace on the Hillandale Farms property in Bozrah, Conn., on Saturday, The Related Press reported. The report stated that dozens of firefighters responded to the fireplace, which was contained to simply one of many farm’s buildings.

In keeping with native CBS affiliate WFSB, firefighters from 21 completely different departments responded to the fireplace and had been on the scene for eight hours. The report additionally stated the state’s agriculture company doesn’t count on the fireplace to affect egg costs, which have been rising over the previous yr.

No staff had been injured within the fireplace, however the reason for the blaze stays below investigation, in keeping with a press release posted on the Hillandale Farms web site. The web site confirmed that one hen home was misplaced within the fireplace.

“Our group continues to work intently with the native fireplace departments and state officers to completely examine the fireplace that occurred on Saturday, January 28. We will affirm that one hen home was misplaced and that no different buildings had been compromised. We’re deeply grateful that no staff had been damage within the fireplace,” the farm’s govt management group stated within the assertion.

“Though it stays below investigation, we’re working with native and state authorities to find out the trigger. We admire the super response from native fireplace departments for his or her swift motion and for the continued assist from throughout our trade,” the assertion continues.

Hillandale Farms, which has properties throughout the USA, raises greater than 20 million chickens for eggs and is without doubt one of the prime 5 egg producers within the nation, in keeping with its web site.

Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) known as on the Federal Commerce Fee to research the rise in egg costs final week, asking the fee to look into whether or not the egg trade is utilizing a document outbreak of chicken flu as a canopy for value gouging.

Common egg costs have greater than doubled within the final yr, from $1.79 in December 2021 to $4.25 in December 2022, in keeping with the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

This rise in costs has been attributed to a nationwide avian flu outbreak, provide chain challenges and the rising value of hen feed. The chicken flu alone affected 10 p.c of laying hens, additional driving up costs.