Massive Fire Engulfs Texas Chicken Farm

In this file photo, boots and fire jackets hang near a firetruck belonging to the Orange County Fire Department in Buena Park, Calif., on Jan. 15, 2021. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

A massive fire broke out at a chicken farm located in Kurten, Texas, on Monday, with local authorities estimating that it could take days to fully extinguish, according to multiple reports.

Photos released by the Bryan Fire Department show towering plumes of black smoke all around Feather Crest Farm, which is owned by MPS Egg Farms, one of the largest egg producers in the United States.

No injuries have been reported as a result of the fire so far and it remains unclear what caused it.

Feather Crest Farms CEO Sam Krouse said the fire affected two chicken houses. He did not specify how many chickens perished in the fire or how it would affect the farm’s operation.

“The fire affected two chicken houses on site, and we are very sad to say one house had chickens in it at the time that have been lost,” Mr. Krouse was quoted as saying by news outlet KBTX.

“We are thankful for the swift actions of our entire team and that they are all safe. We also deeply appreciate the first responders who reached the farm quickly and helped to prevent any further damage,” he added.

Jason Ware, deputy emergency management coordinator for Brazos County, said that two buildings were engulfed in “heavy fire.”

“At this time, the fire is contained to the two buildings. There have been no injuries, no deaths of any personnel or civilians,” Mr. Ware told reporters on Jan. 30.

“This is going to be a multi-day operation. At this point, it’s too dangerous for our firefighters to get into the building,” he added.

Mr. Ware explained that firefighters were unable to enter the metal building due to the risk of collapsing walls and falling debris.

“So, right now, our main focus is just to contain the fire to what is burning. We’ll have fire units on the scene for probably several days,” he added.

Mr. Ware said that around 100 firefighters have been deployed to the site, including from the Brazos County Volunteer Fire Department, the Bryan Fire Department, the College Station Fire Department, and multiple surrounding counties.

The fire had also led to outages in the area as Bryan Texas Utilities (BTU) instructed system operators to put “140 customers out of service so firefighters can safely respond to a fire off Hwy [Highway] 21.”

BTU later said in an update that crews had isolated the services near the fire and restored all unaffected customers.