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Pig inferno in Siedenbollentin: 70 animals die, fire brigade on duty!
Major fire in Neubrandenburg: 70 pigs died in a pig fattening facility. Fire brigade brings fire under control, animal rights activists demand changes.
Pig inferno in Siedenbollentin: 70 animals die, fire brigade on duty!
On the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, a fire in a pig fattening facility in Siedenbollentin kept the fire department busy early in the morning. At 2:43 a.m., fire chief Mathias Gersemann alerted the emergency services after the fire broke out in stable 5 at Andresen Siedenbollentin GmbH. A total of 80 sows and piglets were housed in this stable, which perished in the flames during the fire. Horrifying temperatures of up to 140 degrees Celsius were reached in the stable, which led to massive damage to cables and pipes. Fortunately, there were no injuries among firefighters or residents, but the outcome is tragic: around 70 pigs lost their lives.
Over 100 fellow firefighters from surrounding fire departments, including Kölln, Werder, Friedland, Neubrandenburg, Burow-Weltzin, Grapzow and Groß Teetzleben, were on duty. The water supply proved to be a challenge because there were no hydrants and the fire department had to rely on A-hoses from Lake Siedenbollentine. The main aim of the emergency services was to limit the fire to other stables, which was ultimately successful, but stable 5 burned down completely. The fire was extinguished around 9:15 a.m., but the last firefighters did not leave the scene until five hours later.
Financial concerns and animal welfare issues
Mayor Thorsten Haker expressed concern about the financial impact this incident could have on the community. The animal protection organization Animal Rights Watch has documented several animal welfare violations in the facility in the past and criticizes the lack of fire protection concepts in animal husbandry facilities. Dirk Andresen from Andresen Siedenbollentin GmbH declined to make an official statement, but in the farmer's newspaper he expressly thanked the firefighters and helpers who were on duty.
This incident in Siedenbollentin brings back memories of a similar fire in a large pig fattening facility in Saxony-Anhalt, where around 20,000 pigs died. The fire broke out there late on Friday afternoon and the extinguishing work was also supported by over 210 firefighters. The cause of the fire is unclear in both cases, and while around a third of the facility in the Altmark was destroyed, it is also clear in Siedenbollentin that the dangers of such an inferno should not be underestimated.
These incidents once again highlight how important it is to review and improve safety standards in animal husbandry. The affected communities are not only confronted with the financial consequences, but also with a growing responsibility towards animal welfare.