Fire wall credited with reducing loss in Manitoba chicken barn blaze

A barn fire in southern Manitoba has killed an estimated 27,000 chickens.

The blaze broke early Sunday morning on a property not far from Blumenort, about 60 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg.

Hanover Fire Chief Paul Wiebe says firefighters arrived to find the barn engulfed in flame, and crews and equipment from a number of surrounding communities were called in to help.

Wiebe says the barn contained about 50,000 laying hens and young chickens.

He says a fire wall allowed crews to save about half of the birds and approximately half the building.

No firefighters were hurt and a damage estimate was not immediately available.