In heartbreaking incidents, more than 9,000 hens perished in fires that ravaged two poultry farms in Tiruppatur district on May 8, 2024. The first blaze occurred at a poultry farm in Arangaldurgam village near Ambur town, owned by P. Duraimurugan. The farm, spanning three acres of paddy fields and consisting of two tin sheet-roofed sheds, housed at least 5,000 hens in each shed.
Mr. Duraimurugan discovered smoke emanating from the electrical board in one of the sheds around 3 p.m. Despite his efforts to seek help, the fire quickly spread, engulfing the 300 sq.ft shed within minutes. While Mr. Duraimurugan escaped unharmed, the loss of more than 5,000 hens was devastating. Firefighters from Ambur town managed to contain the blaze after an hour, limiting the damage to one poultry shed. The Oomerabad police are investigating the incident, with a case registered.
In a separate tragedy in Balanvattam village near Vaniyambadi, over 5,000 chickens met a similar fate as fire swept through a poultry farm owned by S. Selvaraj. The farm, established two years ago on his farmland, was engulfed in flames around 4 a.m. Firefighters from Vaniyambadi town responded swiftly to extinguish the fire, though the loss of thousands of hens is mourned.
These incidents highlight the devastating impact of fires on livestock and the importance of prompt response from emergency services.
