LONG ISLAND, KS— An unidentified worker at Husky Hogs, a hog-farrowing operation in Long Island, was seriously injured Tuesday afternoon in a fire.
According to Phillips County Sheriff Charles Radabaugh, the worker suffered burns on his arms and legs. He was transported to Phillips County Hospital by private vehicle before being transferred by ambulance to a Wichita hospital. His condition was unknown Wednesday.
According to a news release from Radabaugh, the fire started at about 11:30 a.m. at the end of a hog-farrowing barn operated by Husky Hogs. The fire quickly spread to two additional barns before being brought under control. Husky Hogs’ Julia Nelson told The Associated Press the blaze killed about 2,000 sows and 7,000 piglets, though 4,500 sows were spared.
Damage is estimated at several million dollars, Radabaugh said.
Firefighters with the Long Island Fire Department were assisted by firefighters from Norton, Almena and Phillipsburg, as well as firefighters with the Nebraska communities of Orleans, Stamford and Alma.
The Kansas Fire Marshal’s Office was contacted Tuesday night to assist the sheriff’s office in investigating the cause of the blaze, which remained undetermined Wednesday.
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LONG ISLAND, Kan. (KWCH) Update: A fire at a north-central Kansas hog farm has injured a worker and killed 9,000 animals.
Phillips County sheriff's deputy Pat Hewitt says the fire started about 11:20 a.m. Tuesday at a barn for sows and piglets at Husky Hogs in 130-resident Long Island. The fire spread to two other farrowing barns before being controlled about two hours later.
Hewitt says the injured worker is hospitalized in Wichita with arm and leg burns not considered life-threatening.
The fire's cause wasn't clear. The Kansas State Fire Marshall's office is investigating.
Husky Hogs' Julia Nelson told The Associated Press the blaze killed about 2,000 sows and 7,000 piglets, though roughly 4,500 sows were spared.
Nelson calls it a tragedy, and that "we did what we could to save everything we could."
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The Kansas State Fire Marshal is investigating a fire that caused millions of dollars in damage to a Phillips County hog farm.
The sheriff's office says the Long Island Fire Department was called out to the 500 block of W. 1300 Road around 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
Investigators say the fire started in the end of a farrowing barn operated by Husky Hogs. It quickly spread to two additional barns before they were able to bring it under control.
A worker suffered burns to his arms and legs during the fire. He was taken to the Phillips County Hospital in Phillipsburg by private vehicle then transferred to Wichita via ambulance.
Fire departments from Long Island, Norton, Almena, Phillipsburg, Orleans, Nebraska; Standford, Nebraska and Alma, Nebraska all assisted in fighting the fire.
The cause is still undetermined and the investigation continues.
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Husky Hogs in Long Island suffers considerable damage from fire
A Phillips County hog farm sustained considerable damage in a fire Tuesday, according to a release from the Phillips County Sheriff’s office on its Facebook page.
According to the release, at approximately 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, the sheriff’s office received a report of a structure fire in the 500 block of West 1300 Road near Long Island.
The Long Island Fire Department was dispatched and requested immediate mutual aid. The fire started in the end of a hog farrowing barn operated by Husky Hogs, according to the release.
The fire spread to two other barns before it was under control.
One unidentified worker was injured, sustaining burns to his arms and legs, the release said. He was taken to Phillips County Hospital then transported to Wichita via ambulance with unknown condition at the time of the news release.
Fire departments responding to the fire included Long Island, Norton, Almena, Phillipsburg, Orleans, Neb. Stamford, Neb. and Alma, Neb.
The Kansas State Fire Marshall’s office was contacted and began its investigation Tuesday night, assisted by the Phillips County Sheriff’s Office. The cause is still undetermined. Husky Hogs suffered a significant loss with a general estimate of several million dollars. The investigation continues.
Husky Hogs, LLC
Located west of Long Island, is our breeding and farrowing facility for our swine operation. At full capacity we house 7,100 sows. Also located within Phillips County is our gilt isolation barn, cull sow barn, as well as a second nursery site for pigs weighing less than 55 pounds.