23 October 2022
Lexington County Fire Services did not have any additional information about the particular fire but said the main cause is still under investigation. LEXINGTON, S. C. — A fireplace in Lexington County destroyed the chicken house and apparently killed thousands of chickens. Yet while the impact will certainly become felt by those who personal and operate the chicken farm, experts say this really is unlikely to affect nearby supply. Around 9 l. m. on Friday, Lexington Fire Services responded to this particular scene off Calks Ferry Road. One of the chicken homes at HP Farm LLC was engulfed. Ramiro Ramirez and his sister Claudia reside nearby. They said they simply got home from a football game when they saw the particular flames. “He’s saying across the time that he got house that it was mostly the fireplace had just kind of began that it was mostly small fire flames just out of nowhere the particular flames started getting larger, ” Claudia said, translation for her brother. Inside the house, seven, 000 chickens died based on county officials. And with this type of large number of poultry deaths arrived questions regarding the potential influence this loss could have regionally and for consumers. Bryan Cruz, an area extension agent along with Clemson University, said that as the impact on this farm had been likely massive, it is not likely the fire and the lack of chickens will have sway around the broader South Carolina poultry marketplace. “There’s enough other farmers with the number of houses which are providing chickens that we will not see that at the grocery store, ” Bryan Smith said. Based on a South Carolina Department associated with Agriculture spokesperson, poultry can be South Carolina’s top farming product with more than $1 billion dollars produced each year as part of the worldwide market. Meanwhile, the Sc Department of Agriculture furthermore said it would be working to provide support to the owner from the farm. “The loss of these types of birds is a tragedy for your farm. Commissioner Hugh Seasons is working on reaching out to Mister. Padgett to offer condolences and find out what support we can provide, ” the agency spokesperson said in a statement. Within an example of the impact on the grower, Extension Agent Jones added that, on a plantation with four chicken homes, losing one house can be 25% of the farmer’s complete income. But he mentioned this loss is only short-term. “Once he gets their house back up, I’m certain his supplier will be able to fill up his house back up fairly quickly., ” Smith stated. Smith said he is not going to know exactly how long which could take, since it’s influenced by the farmer’s rebuilding procedure. The owner of HP Farms failed to wish to speak on digital camera. Lexington County Fire Providers didn’t have any additional information regarding the fire but mentioned the cause is still under analysis.