Farm shed fire kills about 1,200 pigs

A close-up of pig seen in an enclosure with hay on the ground. Image source, Getty
Image caption,

The fire service say their quick actions managed to save the lives of about 1,500 sows and piglets

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About 1,200 pigs have died in a fire on a farm in County Londonderry.

The blaze happened on the Kilmaconnell Road area of Coleraine on Tuesday evening.

It took more than 50 firefighters, wearing breathing apparatus, nearly seven hours to deal with the fire in a large shed, where the sows and piglets were being kept.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) have said they are treating the fire as accidental.

A large farm is visible in a green field. 
It has a large fence and there is some slight damage to an outbuilding.
Image caption,

About 1,200 sows and piglets died in the fire at this farm in Coleraine

Crews brought appliances from eight different stations to tackle the fire and prevent it from spreading to other buildings on the farm.

A spokeswoman for the NIFRs said their actions saved the lives of about 1,500 sows and piglets.

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