PREVIEW

WORDS BYLINE: Hayley Chamberlain

An estimated 20,000 pigs have died after a devastating fire tore through a large-scale pig farm in eastern Germany, reigniting concerns over fire safety standards in intensive livestock facilities.

The blaze broke out overnight on Wednesday (15 July) at a farm in Coswig, in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, destroying multiple barns and causing millions of euros in damage. Emergency services said the fire had been brought under control by Wednesday morning, although crews continued working to extinguish remaining hotspots.

Up to 100 firefighters were deployed to tackle the blaze. During the operation, crews opened barn doors in an effort to allow animals to escape. However, only a small number are believed to have survived.

Officials said six barns were affected by the fire, with two completely destroyed. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

According to local authorities, the majority of the animals that died were piglets and weaners - young pigs that have recently been weaned from their mothers. Around 1,700 breeding sows also perished. Reports indicate that approximately 1,300 sows survived, although police have said only a low double-digit number of animals escaped the fire, highlighting uncertainty over the final toll.

Four firefighters suffered minor injuries while responding to the incident. Flying embers also ignited several small fires in a nearby field, but these were quickly extinguished before they could spread.

Specialist teams have been using a drone equipped with a thermal imaging camera to identify hidden hotspots within the wreckage and prevent the fire from reigniting.

Police estimate the damage to the farm at around €9 million (£7.8 million).

The incident is likely to renew scrutiny of fire prevention measures at intensive livestock farms. Animal welfare organisations have repeatedly warned that the scale and design of large indoor farming operations can leave thousands of animals vulnerable when fires occur, calling for stricter safety regulations and improved emergency evacuation measures.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire.