STANWOOD – Investigators are trying to determine what sparked a massive blaze at a chicken farm late Tuesday that caused about $2.2 million damage and killed about 180,000 birds.
Crews were called just before midnight to the commercial chicken farm in the 2400 block of 268th Street NW, North County Fire &EMS Battalion Chief Christian Davis said.
Several chicken coops were fully ablaze and firefighters immediately went to work to try to protect an office building and put down the flames, he said. Second and third alarms were called out.
With limited water supplies at the scene, 14 tender trucks were summoned to help more than 60 firefighters. Crews came from Skagit, Island and throughout Snohomish County.
It took about four hours to get the fire under control, Davis said. Hot spots and flare-ups still were being doused this morning.
Federal investigators have joined the Snohomish County Fire Marshal’s Office in trying to determine what might have sparked the blaze. The federal agents are involved because of the high dollar loss.
Of the $2.2 million in damage, about $400,000 is believed related to chickens killed in the blaze, Davis said.
Officials do not have immediate evidence to make them believe the fire’s cause is suspicious, he said.
Topper, the county’s new arson investigation dog, was helping to look for evidence this morning.
No firefighters were injured.
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