Thousands of chicken killed in New Brunswick fire

June 19, 2012, Nashwaak Village, NB – Thousands of animals, mostly chickens, died Sunday after fires broke out at two New Brunswick farms.

The RCMP say some 9,500 chickens were killed at a poultry farm in Saint-Francois, in northwestern New Brunswick.

Police say it’s not yet known what caused the fire, which destroyed a building that housed a chicken nursery.

Another fire at a farm near Fredericton consumed a barn along with more than 500 pheasants, chicks and a sheep.

Smoke from the fire on Route 8 in Nashwaak Village could be seen for many kilometres.

The farm’s owner, Norm Hamilton, says a faulty bearing on a hay baler is the likely source of the blaze.

“The round baler probably had a bad bearing and that’s what the firemen are thinking,” Hamilton said Monday.

“The insurance guy is coming to tear it apart and find out.”

The barn was completely destroyed, and Hamilton said it will be a huge financial loss.

“The barn was probably worth over $200,000 to replace, and I only have $100,000 insurance,” he said.

Crews and equipment from four fire departments in the area responded to the fire.

No one was hurt, and no other buildings were damaged.