Hi °C | Lo °C Eighty pigs and 800 piglets died after fire broke out in a piggery on the Ards Peninsula.
Police are investigating the cause of the blaze at Nugent Estate in Portaferry.
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service was alerted to the blaze at 6.50am today and two appliances were tasked to the scene at Mountain Road.
The animals perished after the roof of the middle section of the pig unit collapsed and the seat of the blaze has yet to be determined, a Fire Service spokesperson said.
“The middle section of the piggery measuring about 50m by 50m collapsed. Fire officers put the fire out and stopped it from spreading to the sections on either side. The farmer said 800 piglets and 80 pigs have died,” she said. “An engineer has been called to check the structure. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined but police are investigating.”
It is understood that the fire is not thought to be malicious.
A PSNI spokesperson said “A substantial number of pigs died in a fire at a piggery in Portaferry. The blaze broke out earlier this morning. Inquiries are ongoing.”
The Department of Agriculture said veterinary officers are on their way to the scene.
