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A large fire in Abbotsford destroyed three barns on Thursday afternoon, leaving thousands of chickens dead, fire crews say.
The fire was reported just before 4 p.m. PT at a farm located by Gladwin and Huntingdon roads, according to Brad Gaudette, the deputy fire chief of operations at Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service.
Several firetrucks responded to the incident as thick dark smoke ascended from the barns.
He says the flames began at the rear end of one the structures and spread to the other barns nearby.
“Unfortunately, they’re full of chickens and they were all lost,” said Gaudette, estimating around 150,000 chickens to have been killed.
He says fire investigators will be working to determine what caused the fire, which does not seem to be suspicious.
Clean up efforts will continue on the property, and will require a couple of excavators and for crews to target any hot spots that are remaining, Gaudette says.
The area of Gladwin Road will be closed for the time being.
